


Both a sinner and a gentleman at heart

by Fire_walk_with_me



Category: Big Hero 6 (2014)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Hiro is Sixteen Years Old, I'm Going to Hell, It's a work in progress, M/M, May contain smut, Please Don't Kill Me, Rating May Change, Sibling Incest, Sibling Love, Struggle, Tadashi is alive and 23 years old, be careful! you might start to like some of the OC's, i don't know how to tag, this fic may get dark, this fic may get dark like REALLY DARK including experiments and attempts on mindcontrolling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-04
Updated: 2016-10-27
Packaged: 2018-04-02 22:06:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 30
Words: 172,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4075492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fire_walk_with_me/pseuds/Fire_walk_with_me
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>WARNING! Do not read the stuff dear reader, if you don't like the stuff.</p><p>-><br/>It was dark. The sound of two heartbeats seemed to reverberate throughout the dirty alley.<br/>Two silhouettes sat on the floor. Unmoving. Paralyzed.<br/>They kept looking at each other with their eyes wide open.<br/>Two masks lay beside them on the ground.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi ^^ Welcome to ''Both a sinner and a gentleman at heart''  
> You don't even know how grateful I am to you that you clicked on my story dear reader.
> 
> So...thank you, you awesome individual :D
> 
> This is my first attempt to write a fanfic. Who would’ve guessed that it would revolve around an sibling incest paring? I certainly didn't xD....But I just couldn't help myself.^^° They are so adorable*.* and.. I've been always kinda addicted to the wrong stuff. I'm pretty certain that I'm going to hell someday...but now I just want to enjoy myself a little while I remain in the land of living.
> 
> Grammar mistakes as well as misspellings are sadly inevitable 'cause English isn't my first or second language. But I always keep looking forward to improve myself so I would be really grateful to ya all if you could give me some criticism. :D
> 
> Well, enjoy the first chapter of my story ^^
> 
> WAIT!...please note:D  
> *......* -> someone's thoughts  
> ''......'' -> somebody speaks
> 
> :D yay~

San Fransokyo was a city where everything impossible could be made possible. 

The city was filled with the newest inventions as well as discoveries, but beyond all that it never lost its traditional roots and remained a glorious wonder, consisting of things from the old and the new world. 

''Come on! Please Tadashi it's just till half past twelve!'' 

A pleading voice sounded from within the walls of the Lucky Cat cafe which was suited at the 5th avenue. 

The voice belonged to a sixteen year old genius named Hiro Hamada who just tried to pull the puppy-dog eyes on his older brother Tadashi.

Normally they disarmed Tadashi faster than a human being could even blink, but today seemed not to be the case.

''It's half past twelve at night. Anything could happen to you'' responded Tadashi calmly while standing in front of his brother with his arms crossed.

''Buuuut Tadashiiii~ Please? You know... how you always went on about me, not having any friends at my age? This is totally the opportunity for me to socialize!'' 

Hiro claimed while gesturing with his hands to prove his point.

''Hiro-'' Tadashi tried to say but Hiro cut him off.

''Come on... it's not like I'll be partying there, taking drugs and celebrating orgies of sex!'' 

Hiro stated grinning with a slight eye-rolling. 

Tadashi mentally cringed at the last two mentioned points.

'' We'll be just playing some plain old video games in which I will probably kick everyone's butt at and besides-'' 

Hiro took his cellphone out of his blue pocket and started to type a number into it before turning on the loud speaker as he handed his electronic device over to a very confused Tadashi.

His older brother stood puzzled in their blue painted room with a dark purple cellphone in his right hand.

After a couple of minutes a friendly voice of a boy filled the room. 

''Hello?'' It asked cheerfully.

''Hi Akira! It's me Hiro! I need your help.''

'' And I need it right now. My big brother here doesn't want me to go out tonight!''

''Can you please reassure him, there won't be any illegal stuff going on and that I'm in good hands?'' 

Hiro asked while smiling seamlessly at the older Hamada. 

''Ah..I understand. Is the loud speaker on?'' Akira asked casually.

''Yup'' replied Hiro while leaning back and suiting himself in his computer chair. 

His plan was bulletproof. From this point on the rest was going to be a piece of cake.

 

''Well, Tadashi...I solemnly swear on my love for meat that there won't be any illegal stuff happening.''

''Only if you view Super Mario collecting mushrooms in some way as illegal drug consumption... ''

'' I can reassure you it's only till half past twelve and I will personally deliver him back.''

''Punctuality is my specialty! And my mother will be also present. A few years ago she worked at the hospital ..in cause of emergency she knows very well how to treat injuries.''

''Therefore... don't worry about your little brother. Hiro will be in good hands!'' 

Akira announced as he finished his speech.

 

''Well, what do you think Tadashi?'' Hiro asked with hopeful eyes, looking up to Tadashi's face, leaning forward, almost falling off his chair in the process.

''Fine'' Tadashi stated with a defeated sign. 

''You can go out, but you're at home at half past twelve and not one minute too late'' 

The older Hamada said insistently. 

Tadashi is twenty-three years old but he still couldn't switch off his 'protective older brother' mode. Some of his friends even said, Tadashi behaved like an overprotective doting parent.

''YESS!'' Hiro shouted happily, starting to jump on the spot swinging his hands up in the air and performing his own personal victory dance.

Tadashi observed his joyous movements, smiling a little.

''That excitement is music to my ears! Hiro, see you in a couple of hours. Bye Tadashi!'' mentioned Akira, before he hung up. 

''You. Are. The. Best. Brother in the world'' Hiro stated, darting towards the older Hamada, wrapping his arms around him.

The twenty-three year old returned the warm gesture while feeling guilty about the GPS trackers he sewed in every hoodie which his little brother owned. 

He had to keep him save after all and it worked perfectly during Hiro's battle-bots fighting phase.

 

Tadashi already knew well by himself that he tended to be a little too overprotective of his little brother. Especially after losing their parents, protecting Hiro, upgraded to the biggest priority in his life. 

He will always look after him so he won't get caught up in anything sketchy. 

It may seem odd to other people but Tadashi never saw taking care of his little brother as a burden. He enjoyed spending time with Hiro. 

But sometimes he asked himself if he enjoyed it a little too much. Like right now. Feeling the warmth of Hiro's body against his own.

*Goody two-shoes Dashi* Hiro thought fondly while releasing his hold of his older brother who was still, despite his growth spurt at fifteen, one head higher than him. 

''I'll tell aunt Cass that her plan worked!'' Hiro mentioned cheerfully whilst leaving their room, jumping down the stairs to the second floor of the Lucky cat cafe. 

*It was aunt Cass' idea?* the older Hamada thought dumbfounded.

Of course aunt Cass didn't exactly had knowledge of what she encouraged Hiro to take part in. She assumed her younger nephew just wanted to spend time with people in his age. 

Considering the younger Hamada surpassed his peers in terms of intelligence and skipped grades faster than any other average kid. 

It was pretty hard for him to adapt to other kids.  
Often people feared things which they didn't understand. 

And especially children can be cruel. 

Very cruel. 

Hiro was more times glared at, called names and bullied then he could count. 

He was different. 

Even if Tadashi repeatedly tried to show him his uniqueness, Hiro somehow still couldn't shake of the feeling of being a freak. 

An abnormality. 

 

*Is it really okay for me to lie to them like that?* Hiro questioned. He sat on a kitchen chair while his aunt stood in front of the kitchen and prepared the wings for their dinner, as she continued to chatter about how happy she is for him. 

* Like I won in a lottery or something.*

*I love both of them but sometimes I'm starting to feel suffocated.*

*This warmth. This pride. Always being called the little genius.*

* Especially by Tadashi. Always Tadashi.*

* Of course I'm proud to have him as a big brother. He encourages me and protects me but...*

*He is so perfect. So perfect that sometimes it just hurts when he smiles warmly at me not having a damn clue about this nagging devil within me.*

* Tadashi is constantly seeking the good in people... But I can't. And I don't want to be good all the time either.*

 

''Hiro? Hiro! Dear.. Are you listening?''

''Don't forget to call when your arrive or when there is an emergency!'' Aunt Cass mentioned as she carefully took her wings out of the oven and carefully placed them on yellow bowl next to the one with rice.

A pleasant scent of freshly cooked chicken filled the kitchen.

''Anyway would you like me to make some of my famous donuts for your new friend and his mother?''

'' What am I asking for?! Of course I shall make them! Everybody loves donuts and deserves to get their face melted!!.'' The brunette woman stated enthusiastic, turning her back to Hiro, methodically opening different cupboards as she started to place the ingredients on the kitchen counter.

''Hiro could you call your brother? Tell him dinner is ready! '' asked aunt Cass. 

But Tadashi was already in the proximity .

He stood at the banister and looked at Hiro's old graduation photo from high school which hung framed on the wall. The older Hamada himself put it in a golden frame. 

Tadashi smiled as he remembered Hiro's embarrassed blush as he told everyone on the street about the accomplishment of his amazing younger brother. 

He chuckled lightly as he took his seat on the kitchen table. 

His little brother and his aunt where already sitting there. 

They ate together. Aunt Cass finished eating first and went back to the kitchen counter in order to make her promised delicious goods.

Tadashi and Hiro ate silently.  
''Why so sad? Are you gonna miss me, nerd?'' Hiro asked teasingly.

Tadashi ruffled through Hiro's fluffy chaotic hair.

'' Maybe? Who knows what will happen if I'm not around, keeping that big brain of yours safe and sound, knucklehead'' The twenty-three year old replied mockingly.

''Well if you get lonely you could still call Wasabi, Honey-Lemon, Fred or Gogo. I'm pretty sure they'll want to come over'' Hiro announced as he took another spoonful of rice into his mouth.

He chewed happily, enjoying the flavor. 

A piece of rice got stuck on Hiro chin.

*How can I possibly leave him alone, if he doesn't even know how to eat properly without leaving food on his face?* Tadashi thought fondly. 

The older sibling bent forward to put the rice corn away but then he had a change of heart.

Instead of throwing it away he promptly put the rice corn in his mouth. 

''Eww'' Hiro said. ''My big brother is a weirdo''. The sixteen year old turned his head away in order to hide his blush. Tadashi laughed at his reaction as he continued to eat his own food.

* I'm not really that weird am I?* Tadashi doubted slightly.

*That's it! * Hiro thought while he went on eating. 

The younger Hamada looked straightly at the picture hanging on the wall next to the little figure of maneki-neko. A Japanese cat-like figure. 

It is some kind of charm which should theoretically bring good luck to its owner. Their aunt adored the traditional talisman so much, she named her shop the ''Lucky cat'' cafe.

The picture which hung beside the lucky cat showed Tadashi and Hiro at a young age.  
They were sitting together in front of a small robot, laughing. Hiro was five years old back then.

The photograph showed one of many precious memories of their childhood.

*This is the reason I need to do what I have to do tonight. I just have to!*

*In order to clear my head.*

*This sensation. These feelings which I'm beginning to develop-*

* They have to go away.*

* They're wrong. It's not normal. It's disgusting.* 

Hiro stared full of melancholy at the picture, before he continued to eat.

~~~~~


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Grammar mistakes as well as misspellings are sadly inevitable 'cause English isn't my first or second language. But I always keep looking forward to improve myself so I would be really grateful to ya all if you could give me some criticism. :D
> 
> Well, enjoy the second chapter of my story ^^
> 
> WAIT!...please note:  
> *......* -> someone's thoughts  
> ''......'' -> somebody speaks  
> :D yay~

''Tadashi, you clearly don't want to hear this mate but sometimes you've got to let it go'' Wasabi said matter-of-factly.

The older Hamada sat on his bed with a red cellphone in his hand while he listened to his friend.

In the background he could hear Honey-Lemon's high pitched voice, singing 'Let it Go' from an animated movie which is called 'Frozen' and it sounded horrible.

Clearly he didn't want to be the one telling her that. It would hurt her feelings. And Tadashi wasn't a person who hurt other people's feelings.

As a consequence he kept his mouth firmly shut.

It was quarter past seven in the evening. The setting sun painted his room in gentle orange and yellow colors. Aunt Cass was downstairs, watching her favorite soap opera, cradling Mochi in her hands.

Hiro left the cafe a couple of minutes ago.

A hand-sized device lay on the older Hamada's lap. The blinking of a yellow point signalized him that Hiro was indeed at his friend's house.  
Nevertheless somehow Tadashi couldn't shake off this lingering feeling of worry in his chest.

''Of what should I let go?'' Tadashi asked instead, concentrating on the conversation as he carefully placed the device back under his pillow.

''Of Hiro, of course! And before you even start to speak...Hiro should have the chance to live his life, without you always trying to be the mother hen.''

''I know it's hard for you Tadashi but ''letting go'' doesn't mean you should stop caring about Hiro. ''Letting go'' is most likely to be seen in the context of your protectiveness.''

''If protectiveness was measurable, yours would break the mold'' Wasabi announced.

The twenty-three year old felt like a kid who got caught with his hands in the cookie jar, while he thought about the electric device under his pillow which helped him to keep tabs on Hiro's movements.

However there is no way Wasabi could possibly know about his GPS trackers.

''I- '' Tadashi tried to say but was interrupted by Fred, who snatched the cellphone out of Wasabi's hands.

'' Tadashi, my man! How is it hanging? My super senses were telling me that you seem to be on the verge of an eye popping experience and I will gladly help you out of your misery.''

''Since we've known each other, you were always like the ultimate version of the ideal responsible adult. You should chill for once dude and go out. Enjoy yourself a little.''

''Either you are on ''Hiro-duty'' or you work on your newest project...wait.......I have an idea!!''  
The comic nerd stated dramatically.

*Oh my god* Tadashi thought.  
When Fred had his ''ideas'' it most-likely was to be doomed to end up in a complete disaster.

The older Hamada already regretted his decision to call his friends.  
He should've worked on his new project instead.

''Listen mate! Gogo discovered a new club last week. She wanted to go today but a sickness caught our power lady off guard. She has already reserved one ticket. I bet all of my Spider-man comics that she wouldn't mind lending it to you...who knows?''  
''Maybe you could finally loosen up a little and expand your horizon! And who knooooows?''

Fred stretched the o's and changed his tone.  
''Maybe you'll meet a lovely lady ?''

Tadashi could practically see Fred's eyebrows wiggling through his cellphone.

''I don't know if this is a good idea...'' Tadashi stated uncertain.  
''I have to be home earlier than half past twelve in order to see if everything is alright with Hiro...'' The older Hamada added concerned.

Fred signed.

Suddenly there was silence, followed by the sound of a hung up cellphone.

A few seconds later Tadashi's electric device was ringing again.  
He picked it up and regretted his decision at the very right moment.

''Hamada Tadashi! If you don't move your sorry ass in the direction of my apartment NOW I'm going to make your pitiful life more miserable than it already is!!!'' Gogo shouted through her cellphone.

Even if her voice sounded a little bit off, the message was loud and clear.  
First and foremost: loud.

Tadashi knew this specific tone in her voice.  
Nobody messed with Gogo when she used that voice.  
Unless the wanted to be beaten to a pulp or sliced in two by her sharp wheels, in her case.

Tadashi signed once again. His head was throbbing.  
He knew it was pointless to argue with her and....well what could possibly go wrong?

''Okay'' He finally stated.

''Now that’s a good boy'' Gogo remarked satisfied.

Even if she wasn’t chewing her bubble gum the older Hamada still imagined the pooping sound of a gum at the end of her sentence.

''Now get ready Mister Calm-and-Collected, make sure you don't tell your aunt where you'll went. That place has a secrecy thing going on. Best is when you just grab your best outfit and sneak out of your backdoor.'' Gogo Tomago added with a slightly scraping voice.

It sounded like she smoked too many cigarettes.  
Although the older Hamada knew she didn't smoke.

He gazed at his red cellphone in his hand. With a defeated sign he stood up and opened his wardrobe, collecting the items as he put them in a bag and got ready to sneak out of the house, despite the fact that he was twenty-three years old and not fourteen.

After twenty minutes the older Hamada stood newly dressed in Gogo Tomago's apartment.

His friends stood around him in her room and stared at him.

'' Tadashi...you look..-'' Honey Lemon wanted to state.

''Hot'' Gogo finished the sentence. Wasabi and Fred nodded in agreement.

''Yeah dude. You totally look like you could break a lot of hearts tonight.'' Fred said grinning while he turned in circles around the older Hamada.

''I don't really know guys...is it really necessary for me to dress up like that?''  
''I hardly look like myself at all'' Tadashi mentioned while he looked at his own reflection in the big mirror of Gogo's room.

His beloved SFIT cap, his brown trousers, his gray cardigan as well as his green jacket vanished and where replaced by deep blue designer jeans and a tight black shirt with a tribal dragon on its back.

He didn't even knew he owned such kind of clothes.  
Aunt Cass probably bought them for him one year ago but he just didn't feel comfortable in them. That's why he'd never put them on.  
Except for today.  
Even though their uncomfortableness didn't change.

''Guys..was it really necessary for me to remove my SFIT cap?'' Tadashi asked.

The cap was a present from his little brother after all.

''Hell yeah! Tadashi..tonight is THE night. You can't go crazy in that usual 'Tadashi outfit' of yours. And by the way I didn't even know you had muscle '' Fred stated, acknowledging.

'' And besides.. your precious cap is ruining your whole bad boy appearance'' Gogo added calmly with a raspy voice.

''What if I- ''Tadashi tried to say but he was cut off by his friends once again.

'' Come on. Don't be such a wimp and woman-up already! Here put this on''  
Gogo announced as she handed him a black raven mask.

''What exactly is this?''  
Tadashi questioned confused as he examined the dark fabric from different angles.

''Your ticket to freedom'' Gogo replied with a raspy voice. 

'' You know ...when I told you about this secret policy this new club has going on? Well this is kinda part of it. You don't need the usual piece of paper to enter... all you need to have is this mask. If you look close enough, you will notice a small silver symbol on the right side of it. It's like a code, which will be scanned when you arrive at the club.''

*Hmm..*Tadashi thought as he continued to examine the mask. 

Yes, there was indeed an interesting symbol. It looked familiar. As if he'd seen it somewhere before...maybe in one of his history lessons back in high-school ?

''This symbol is called '' Fleur-de-lis'' Honey Lemon explained, smiling.  
''Its origin is french and it means translated ''flower and ''lily''.  
''It was used in former times to mark members of royalty.  
''The club also is named ''Royal Masquerade''

Tadashi glanced at the mask and the mask seemed to stare back at him.  
The older Hamada couldn't describe this feeling which slowly expanded in his chest.  
It was like something tugged him closer.  
Like someone whispered words in his head in a language which he didn't understood.

The older Hamada looked up. Asking himself if he was the only one who heard the whispering sound.  
But his friends looked normal.  
Except for a slightly look of expectation in their eyes.

Still wondering, if all of this was a good idea, the older Hamada cautiously pulled the black mask over his face.

As he looked in the mirror once again the last traces of Tadashi Hamada faded and were replaced by a tall, muscular and mysterious stranger with a raven mask which covered half of his face.

Even his warm brown eyes seemed cold and calculating. Maybe even dangerous.

'' I could totally lose my virginity to you... you know if I had one'' Gogo said while she whistled and stared at the newly created persona.

''Wow'' Honey Lemon whispered with red cheeks.

''How unfair'' Fred said and Wasabi nodded slowly.

Tadashi gazed into the mirror and tried to smile. But even his smile seemed a little bit off. It seemed kind of dangerous.

The older Hamada himself didn't know if he could get accustomed to his new appearance or not.

''Well I think you're ready'' Fred stated, grinning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WAIT!...please note:  
> *......* -> someone's thoughts  
> ''......'' -> somebody speaks  
> :D yay~

''Are you sure you wanna do this Hiro?'' Akira asked concerned through his cellphone.

 

In the night, San Fransokyo seemed like a whole different city. Like a whole different universe.

Some streets and corners looked familiar and yet it the same time..they didn't. 

 

''Yep'' Hiro answered smirking as he walked down the street of the darker parts of  
San Fransokyo, calculating the best possible route in his head in order to reach his target.

 

''Well.. since you helped me back then, I will gladly help you with your illegal sneaking out activities.''

'' But would you at least tell me where you're heading?''

''I need to have some info material when your big bro decides to murder me..'' 

Akira stated to some degree nervously.

 

''Nope its a secret'' Hiro replied persistently. 

''But don't worry, I'll be back at twelve'' The sixteen year old added reassuringly.

 

''Well...that's a relief to hear'' Akira announced. 

''And I don't think Tadashi would murder you if something was to happen to me...''

''He would just flay you alive, roll you in salt and ask Baymax to patch you up before he'll continue to do something else'' 

The younger Hamada added jokingly.

 

'' Ha..ha..good one. You nearly got me there'' The eighteen year old replied dryly.

 

Hiro chuckled slightly as he made his way through the Kyohatten district. 

The sun already said goodbye and Hiro felt like she took all the easiness with the daylight along with her. 

Thankfully it wasn't getting cold. This year's spring fortunately turned out to be really mild. 

''Is there any reason for you to stash your clothes here?'' Akira asked, curiosity getting the better of him. 

For Akira, Hiro's actions seemed always like some kind of mystery. 

A mystery which he wanted to solve.

 

''I won't need them in a while'' Hiro answered shrugging, thinking about the possible GPS trackers his brother could have put in his hoodies. 

He figured it out two years ago and saw it as a perfect opportunity to use this little information for his own purposes.

''I know you're certainly doing something very forbidden but please take care of yourself.''

''Especially in that risky outfit of yours.'' Akira said worriedly.

* Well, he isn't immensely wrong about that* Hiro thought. 

The younger Hamada wore close-fitting black jeans, a white tank top and a well fitting sleeveless red hoodie (a hoodie of which Tadashi wasn't aware of). 

Hiro completed his look with black boots which made him taller. 

Tallness which will be needed. To have a more grown-up appearance.

 

'' By the way, tell your aunt that I really appreciated those donuts. They were incredible. If I could marry them, my life would be fulfilled in an instant moment'' Akira said dreamy.

 

''Thanks, I'll be happy to convey the message. Aunt Cass will be trilled to bits. She's always happy if someone enjoys her baking skills.'' 

Hiro mentioned smiling while he moved further into the labyrinth of the Calisaki district. 

This district was more silent than the prior one. 

Almost too silent for his taste.

 

'' Seems like I have to go. Bye Akira. See you later'' 

Hiro mentioned in a low voice.

 

Before Akira could say something the sixteen year old hung up and turned his cellphone onto silent mode.

The younger Hamada knew, his friend wouldn't stay mad at him for long. 

 

Hiro just had a feeling in his gut which told him he should be more cautious from now on.

He tried not to attract unnecessary attention because he knew this time his big brother wouldn't arrive on time if something went wrong. 

The younger Hamada was on his own. 

Tadashi wouldn't suddenly appear to his aid like he did when Hiro was fourteen. 

Somehow the thought alone left a bitter taste in Hiro's mouth.

 

The younger Hamada passed a few people. Some of them looked angry, some kind of... distant. Like they were on drugs or on something else. 

Others had tattoos painted in black ink all over their bodies. 

 

Hiro stayed close to the shadows because the last thing he was looking for was trouble. 

 

Faintly he heard an interesting melody playing. It was coming from the right direction.

* I must be near* Hiro thought triumphantly while he followed the sound.

His ticket was tucked away under his sleeveless hoodie.

 

The music was getting louder. 

As he arrived at a dark seemingly abandon alley he pulled his fox mask out and tied it firmly to his head. 

He knew somewhere was the entrance to the ''Royal Masquerade''. 

Hiro looked around. 

Something was definitely off. He took a closer look at the alley. 

Now he started to notice the small cameras which were placed strategically well thought-out around the corners of the alley.

 

They were hard to notice for normal people, but Hiro wouldn't be called a genius now, would he, if he couldn't notice an advanced camera system. 

*Where is it? It must be near...I'm sure of it..* Hiro thought convincedly. 

 

Finally he started to notice a pitch black door on his left. 

The paint wasn't peeled off like the other doors nearby. It seemed to be freshly painted. 

The elegant blackness seemed to shine in the darkness. 

On closer inspection Hiro saw the familiar silver symbol which was also engraved on his mask right at corner. A sudden uncertainty swayed Hiro's determination.

* What would Tadashi say? Tadashi..I hope he is alright. Probably he isn't even sleeping....still staring at his tracking device...this dork..*

Hiro still felt the earlier embrace with his brother on his skin. At that time back in their room, he had wanted to press closer to him.

Much closer.

*What am I thinking?* Hiro shook his head.

He knew needed to stop thinking about his brother. And this door in front of him was his chance. His opportunity to sweep his ill-thoughts away..

Tonight he was going to become a normal boy. 

Well... as normal as he could get.

 

The younger Hamada took a deep breath as he knocked on the door. All of a sudden Hiro heard a click. He withstood the sudden impulse to turn his head to the direction of the cameras. 

Hiro kept firmly looking at the door. 

The door opened slowly. 

Darkness. 

There was no person standing behind it. 

* This totally doesn't exactly feel like a scene from a horror movie...but now or never, it can't be as risky as going to illegal bot fighting* 

Hiro took a step into the darkness in front of him.

The door closed behind him.

* How unexpected* Hiro thought with a hint of irony. 

He held his arms crossed in front of his chest while he tried to calm himself down. 

The younger Hamada didn't want to appear scared.

 

''Well, well'' said a female voice playfully. 

A light switched on and enlightened the darkness in a yellowish-gleam. The light was bright but not too bright too hurt his eyes. Like the bioluminescence light of fireflies.

In front of him stood a woman who was wearing a cat mask. 

The woman held a lantern in her hand. 

She was the same height as him but her presence harbored some kind of superiority.

The cat-lady was dressed in a short black skirt and a blue T-shirt with a familiar french symbol on it. 

The green calculating eyes behind the mask seemed to mock him.

''Please dear newcomer, would you kindly follow me? '' 

She asked suddenly. 

Smiling as she turned around and started to walk, expecting him to follow her. 

He had no other choice if he wanted to overcome his forbidden feelings for a certain nerd,  
he had to follow her. 

 

He walked behind her, feeling like a fledgling toddling after its mother.

''Lady are you leading me into some kind of secret basement?'' 

Hiro couldn't help himself. He just had to ask. 

He had to fill the nerve-wrecking silence. He didn't like uncertainty.

The cat-woman laughed. 

''Yeah..sort of'' She replied glancing back to him.

 

''Oh my....are we smart, aren't we?'' She said teasingly, while she continued to lead him through the corridor.

''Nope, I just think, I've just watched too many movies'' Hiro answered smirking with a shrug as he followed her.

''Well then our club must be really predictable, mustn't it?'' She asked Hiro with a daring smirk. 

''Well not for long'' The cat-lady added before she stopped in front of a painting on the right side. 

She pressed her right hand onto it. 

Hiro noticed she was wearing three rings on her right hand.

The portrait seemed to glow from where she touched its surface.

* Must be some kind of DNA-scanner* Hiro thought surprised.

The painting rotated and the wall in front of them moved to the right side. Disappearing into the other wall, revealing a grand hall. 

Different lights were flowing through the dark as masked figures danced to the melody which Hiro heard earlier.

''Welcome to the 'Royal Masquerade', dear newcomer, whose age will be kept a secret'' 

The cat-lady said with a knowing smirk on her face. 

 

''Bye the way you can call me just Kitty... if you want. Be careful darling...some people might want to eat you up tonight.''

''Have fun... Foxy'' She said smirking.

Hiro smirked back. The fox mask on his face seemed to be smirking along with him.

''Finally, I can get ride of this sick feelings'' 

The sixteen year old thought as he made his way into the dazzling hall of moving masks, slowly losing himself in the deep bass which seemed to went straight to his core.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WAIT!...please note:  
> *......* -> someone's thoughts  
> ''......'' -> somebody speaks  
> ~......~-> part of a song
> 
> :D yay~

A twenty-three year old young man with a raven mask sat in front of the counter of 'Royal Masquerade'. His head was bowed down as he gazed at the drink in his hand. The music resonated in his head, pulling him into some kind of trance.

But the pull still wasn't strong enough to move his feet towards the dance-floor. 

Something still bugged him. Held him on the ground. Stabilized him. Even in this strangely addicting atmosphere. 

 

He sighed as he took another sip of his drink. 

Tadashi Hamada had to restrain himself from coughing. 

 

He wasn't used to drink alcohol.  
His last experience with the burning substance lay three years ago. It was the day in which he was accepted in the SFIT. The San Fransokyo Institute of Technology. 

 

Certainly, his friends have told him to relax and to enjoy himself, but somehow he couldn't. 

The older Hamada still felt like a stranger, caught in a strange place.

He felt it in is bones. He didn't belong here. 

Even if his appearance said otherwise. 

 

Two young women with masks already asked him suggestively on a dance but he gently refused them. 

He wasn't in the mood. Doubtless, both were beautiful but-

 

*I hope Hiro is alright* Tadashi thought worriedly, glancing back to half-filled glass in his hand. 

 

The twenty-three year old tried to withstand the sudden urge to check his tracking device...the only reason which kept him from doing so was the unfortunately circumstance that he left his tracking device at home. Hidden in a box under his bed. Hidden from the eyes of a certain genius. 

 

* Hiro is surely alright, he probably continues to take victory after victory in those video games which he plays with this friend of his right now*.

Tadashi smiled at the thought of his little brother before he suppressed the upcoming spark of jealousy which he felt towards this new friend. He shouldn't feel jealous. He should feel happy for Hiro, finally finding a friend, closer to his age with whom he could hang out with. 

Undoubtedly this also meant, Hiro would spent less time with his older brother in the future.

*Maybe it is for the best?* The older Hamada thought, reassuring himself.

But this lingering feeling of worry and want to be near Hiro, didn't stop. It only increased.

*Everything’s is alright* Tadashi repeated once again, trying to calm his nerves down which were as tense as a too tight-drawn guitar string.

He took another sip of his drink, noticing that his hands were shaking. 

 

*Let it go. Let it go. Let it go. Let it go. Let it- *

The words from Wasabi echoed in his mind as a sudden thought shot through his brain. 

 

*My life can't be THAT depended on my little brother now, can it?*  
Tadashi asked himself, wondering.

 

Unfortunately he already knew the answer. 

He had nothing without Hiro. 

 

His whole existence revolved around his genius little brother as well as his urge to make the world a better place. After all that was the fundamental reason why he fixated on medical robotics in the first place. The twenty-three year old wanted to help people...He wanted to change the world into a better place...step by step.

But most importantly the older Hamada wanted to build a world which was more suitable for Hiro.

*Hiro should have the chance to live his life without your mother hen tendencies.* 

Wasabi's voice cut through Tadashi's brain like a sharp knife.

*But so do I* The twenty-three year old replied the echo bitterly.

 

He just couldn't help himself. 

 

Every time he looked into those radiant chocolate brown eyes of his brother, he had the urge to hold him tight and to protect him from everything that could hurt him. 

The urge to protect this lovely smile and the happy expression of his face when he went on talking about robotics. Although Tadashi feared this urge because he groomed and fed it for so long. Sooner or later it would turn up to be his downfall. 

Maybe right at the moment in which his little brother will start to realize that he doesn't need him anymore.

 

The older Hamada sighed and ordered another drink from the barkeeper.

 

* Pathetic. Imprinted on my little bother...this can't be normal *  
He thought as he gulped his whole tequila down. This time without even blinking an eye. 

 

Just as he was about to order another drink, something red caught his eye. 

At closer inspection he decided it was a someone and not a something. A fox-masked boy, who wore a sleeveless red hoodie and was dancing not far from him. The club light whirled around his body, caressing the lithe figure.

 

~The lights are out and I barely know you~  
~We're going up and the place is slowing down~  
~I knew you'd come around~

 

The fox-boy didn't just dance. He seemed to absorb the music. Seemed to catch it like a cat catches a mouse, playfully but daring. His movements were like from a different universe, the bass seemed to seep into his body like a cold drink on a summer night..and the way he moved his hips swinging to the rhythm.... 

Suddenly the boy turned around. Facing the direction of the twenty-three year old.

 

Tadashi's world stood still. 

Behind the fox mask, he could see incredibly brown eyes, sparkling in the disco light. 

The fox boy wore an inviting mischievous little grin on his face as he moved his body to the music.

 

~You captivate me, something about you has got me~  
~I was lonely now you make me feel alive~  
~Will you be mine tonight? ~

 

Without even realizing it, Tadashi already made his way to the direction of the boy who was shorter than him. However his presence was captivating. 

It lulled Tadashi right to next to the fox-boy. 

His mind was suddenly blank...free from doubt..free from worry...all of it was washed away by the masked boy's sheer presence

 

And their eyes met. 

 

Two worlds seemed to collide. 

Like magnets they were drawn together.

 

~Take me on the floor (dadada da dadadada)~  
~I can't take it any more (dadada da dadadada)~  
~I want you, I want you, I want you to show me love~

 

Slowly Tadashi's body started to move. Like it developed a life of its own, far away  
from the control center of his brain where the rights- and wrongs lay. The smirk of the boy got wider as he moved delicately against Tadashi who mirrored the boy's movements.

 

~Just take me on the floor (dadada da dadadada)~  
~I can give you more (dadada da dadadada)~  
~You kill me, you kill me, you kill me with your touch~

 

Tadashi was lost. Mesmerized by the sheer existence of the black haired boy. 

The older Hamada had never had shown any signs of attraction towards another person before. Especially a person with the same gender as his own...

Nevertheless this fox-masked boy..he was different.

Something about him made Tadashi feel strangely familiar and at ease. With his smile, he melted the last lingering strings of doubt away as he allowed Tadashi to follow him...to lose himself into the rhythmic beats of the music . 

 

His heart was synchronizing with the bass as the boy licked his lips.

Tadashi was caught in a trap. 

He didn't pay any attention to his surroundings as he kept his eyes focused on the fox-mask wearing, beautiful person in front of him.

 

They danced in a sea of masks.

It felt like he was put under some kind of spell. 

 

Their movements became more heated.

More courageous.  
They danced around each other like wild animals. 

 

The music changed.  
The bass was more powerful in this one. It dragged the older Hamada out of his hypnotized state and fueled the fire burning deep down within. It was warm. Hot. Almost too hot.

And then something in Tadashi snapped.  
The raven masked moved his hips towards the boy's.

Said boy gasped with his sinful mouth at the sudden contact.

 

~If you move any closer, boy, there is no guarantee~  
~What I will do to you I fear it and it's scaring me~  
~Like I've become some kind of demon in the night~  
~You look so tasty, I could eat you up alive~

 

Tadashi grinned as he continued to move closer. Placing his hands on red clothed hips, still moving to the rhythm of the sound.

The boy seemed to regain his composure as he wrapped his arms around Tadashi's neck and started to pull his face down, right next to his own. 

''So..you like to play games?'' 

He practically purred into Tadashi's right ear.

A shiver ran down the 23-year old's spine. The raven-masked could only nod.

 

~I'll eat you up, your love, your lo o o ove~  
~I'll eat you up, your love, your lo o o ove~  
~Woa a ah~, I'll eat you up~

 

The fox-masked moved his lips closer to the older ones. They were breathing in each others breath. The raven masked stared at the delicious lips in front of him before he slightly leaned forward.

 

Their lips met.

 

~Woah~, oh oh, I think I'm in love~

 

Both had their eyes closed. Tadashi was overwhelmed by the scent of the fox boy. By the softness of the lips. By the feeling of those silky arms around the back of his neck. 

He pulled the masked boy closer. 

The younger male gasped once again as he stared in Tadashi's eyes. Something about the sight made Tadashi lean closer one more time and capture the boy's lips for another kiss once again. They both gasped as they had to pull away. 

Just as Tadashi opened his mouth to ask him about his name, something began to vibrate against his hip area.

The fox-masked boy pulled away, with an apologetically smile on his face as he distanced himself from the raven-masked and began to look at his cellphone.

The boys lips moved silently, reading the message, his movements became a little frantic as he stared at his electric device and then right back to the raven masked. 

He bit his lip as he continued to look between Tadashi and his cellphone. 

With a defeated sign the boy put his electric device back into pocket of his tight black jeans. 

He moved close to the older male and kissed him on the lips once again.  
''Sorry raven'' He whispered against his lips. 

 

A slight blush covered the cheeks of the twenty-three year old. 

 

The boy smirked as he turned around and disappeared into sea of masks. 

 

After a couple of minutes Tadashi still stood on the dance-floor. Still looking at the direction from where the fox masked boy disappeared. 

* What did just happen?* 

The older Hamada thought, shaking his head, trying to put his thoughts back into the order. 

The fox-masked boy seemed like a hallucination..like a Fata Morgana...a phenomenon which appeared mostly to people, living in deserts and are in a desperate need to find water... .

Tadashi still felt those beautiful lips of the boy, pressed against his own. Boy?..BOY!!

* HIRO!!*

The twenty-three year old finally snapped out of his trance.

*How much time is it?* The older Hamada thought worriedly while he checked his cellphone.

*Oh no. I have to get back home. As fast as possible!*

*I'm a horrible brother..*

*I hope Hiro is alright...*

He made his way to the exit. Not noticing the pair of green eyes which kept staring at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case if you're wondering about the songs...^^
> 
> The first song is called ''Take me on the floor'' by The Veronicas  
> The second song is named '' Eat you up'' by Boa
> 
> :D


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WAIT!...please note:  
> *......* -> someone's thoughts  
> ''......'' -> somebody speaks  
> :D yay~

''Here, your hoodie'' Akira declared smiling as he handed Hiro his hoodie back.  
Hiro was standing in the living room of his friend as he put his blue cloth over his red Iron Man-shirt. The younger Hamada looked like himself again. The fox mask was tucked away in safety in the depths of his back pack. 

 

Tadashi absolutely shouldn't know about his secret late-night activity. Hiro's mind wandered, drifting off, thinking about the mysterious stranger with the raven mask. He still could feel the raven's lips pressed against his own.

 

Hiro blushed slightly as he remembered how they've danced. Practically melting against one another.

 

''Looks like you had fun'' Akira stated with a grin, noticing the expression on Hiro's face.

 

''Who knows?'' The sixteen year old answered nonchalantly, trying his best to sound as cool as possible while storing the rest of his clothes in his back pack. 

 

''Well thank you, for your service '' Hiro added smiling as he slung his backpack over his shoulder and made his way towards the door.

 

''It's always a pleasure'' Akira replied bowing playfully before the younger Hamada as he led him through the corridor to the main entrance where he went to his motorcycle. 

The younger boy climbed behind Akira and slung his arms around his back.

 

His friend started the engine.

 

''We should probably hurry up. I don't want to cause my big brother a heart attack at such a young age'' Hiro stated jokingly as they drove on the main street of San Fransokyo. 

 

'' So my dear young master Hamada wants to go faster?'' 

Akira questioned with an evil glint in his eyes. 

 

''Then we shall go faster. Besides I don't necessary want to be responsible for such a tragic death...so hold on a little tighter.. unless you want to resemble a pancake ''

His friend added grinning. 

Secretly enjoying the opportunity to have Hiro pressed closer against him. 

 

As Hiro strengthen his hold on Akira, the eighteen year old's smile got wider and he increased his speed. Maneuvering his motorcycle in risky movements through the nightly traffic of San Fransokyo. Akira wanted to impress the sixteen year old, but he didn't want to admit it.

 

By the time they reached the Lucky cat, Hiro was laughing happily with euphoria.

 

''Well.. bye Akira and thanks again for the cool ride'' 

 

Hiro stated grinning, pumped full with adrenaline as climbed off the motorcycle and went to the main door, opening it delicately in order to prevent the ringing sound of a bell.

''Bye Hiro... If you want... we could hang out more often...'' 

 

Akira announced friendly with intentions in his mind as he started his engine once again, preparing his machine for another ride . 

 

''Of course. And this time we're going to play some video games for real. Although, I have to warn you...I have pro skills'' 

 

Hiro mentioned grinning before he turned around to enter the building, waving his friend one last time as he closed the door carefully behind him.

 

He checked the time on his cellphone. The display showed him: forty-five minutes past twelve. 

 

*Well.....I'm not THAT late...I guess..* 

The younger Hamada thought worriedly with a pang of guilt as he climbed the stairs up to Tadashi's and his room. As he passed the second floor, he saw Mochi sleeping on her favorite chair. The sixteen year old couldn't help himself but to love their corpulent moody cat.

 

He took a few more stairs and opened the door slowly. The sixteen year old sighed relieved as he was greeted with comfortable darkness and silence. 

 

* Tadashi is probably already sleeping...even though..I'm a bit disappointment...but he can't play my guard dog for the rest of his life..now can he? * 

Calmly Hiro made his way to his bed as he carefully placed his backpack under the frame. He pulled off his hoodie and was just about to take off his shirt as well as a bright light switched on. Blinding him for a second.

 

Hiro squinted his eyes, trying to adjust them. The light was like a slap in his face. Suddenly he was crushed in a powerful embrace. 

 

The younger Hamada froze in place. Until the scent of something familiar hit his nose and he visibly relaxed against the warm touch. It smelled like home. Like Tadashi. 

And it seemed like his brother freshly came out of the shower. He smelled like lemon and mint. His older brother wore a black shirt and his gray sweatpants.

 

''Hiro..are you alright? Is everything fine?'' Tadashi asked concerned.

''Hmmf..-'' Hiro tried to say but his voice was muffled by the black shirt which his head was pressed against. The younger Hamada tried struggle out of Tadashi's strong hold. But it was pointless.

 

''I'mmh fine'' The sixteen year old managed to say. 

 

Tadashi signed relieved as he let go of Hiro and placed both his hands on Hiro's shoulders, looking straightly into the chocolate brown eyes of his little brother, worry mirroring in his own hazel one's . 

 

''If you're alright than what were you thinking, knucklehead?! It's already forty-five minutes past twelve!! Everything could've happen to you...I...I restrained myself from calling the police.''

'' And ........I saw both of you.. as I stood on our balcony......''

'' Why were you driving in a motorcycle without a helmet?!''

Tadashi questioned inquisitively, voice laced with anger.

 

'' That's dangerous!! And you know it! Everything could've happen!''

'' You could get involved in an accident! Do you know HOW serious a head injury can be?!''

 

The older Hamada shook his head as if he wanted to wash away the upcoming mental image of his brother lying in a hospital bed.

 

'' .I.....I probably should have a friendly conversation with that Akira friend of yours'' 

The older Hamada added with a grim expression on his face.

 

Hiro was torn. 

Part of him was filled with joy that his older brother didn't forget about him after all...still cared about him...and another part was filled with dread...dread about Tadashi's facial expression...

Hiro knew that expression. 

 

This was Tadashi's serious face. 

 

If he put that one on, you should run...far away..like really far. However, Hiro still wrapped his arms around Tadashi and pulled his own face closer into his shirt, hoping that his embrace would distract his older sibling and calm him down.

 

''I missed you'' He mumbled truthfully through the fabric of Tadashi's cloth. 

 

He felt how his older brother conspicuously relaxed against his touch. Strong arms placed themselves delicately around his shoulders. Pulling him close. Hiro's breath hitched. The sixteen year old pulled his face closer into Tadashi's chest in order to hide his sudden surprise. 

 

''I'm sorry. I didn't want to make you worry Dashi. I just- it was so fun and I lost track of time...as for the helmet..I know... I got pretty reckless ...I won't even get near this motorcycle without a helmet anymore...''

''I'm so sorry Dashi...please don't be mad at me'' 

 

Hiro uttered, feeling guilty about making his brother worry so much. Only in Tadashi's presence he could still feel like a seven-year old kid. Tadashi was his conscience as well as his moral compass...and he was so much more....more than he should ever know.

 

All of a sudden Hiro felt a warm hand which was gently caressing his head.

 

''Don't worry Hiro. I'm not mad'' 

 

Tadashi stated smiling, continuing to caress Hiro's black fluffy hair.

 

Hiro felt like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders. He allowed himself to snuggle closer to his older brother's chest, closing his eyes. 

The younger Hamada didn't know how long they stood there.

In their room. 

Snuggling together at one o'clock in the morning. 

 

He signed contently as he felt Tadashi's soft breath brushing softly against his head. Like a summer breeze. Gentle. Caring. Like a kiss...oh no a kiss... All of a sudden he imagined his older sibling's hands wander down to his hips, pulling him closer against his midsection..he imagined how Tadashi moaned into his ear. Kissing him and staring at him with lust filled eyes as he- 

 

*NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!*

 

Hiro ripped his eyes open. On a sudden impulse he pushed himself out of his brothers embrace and nearly landed on the floor if Tadashi hadn't caught his wrist on time, preventing the hard and painful fall. 

 

''Hiro, what happened?'' 

 

Tadashi looked at him with worry in his eyes.

 

'' It's nothing! '' claimed Hiro nervously, heart beating frantic against his chest.

''Could you please let go of my wrist Dashi?.''

 

Hiro whispered with heated face, heart pounding wildly in his head.

 

''Hiro? Is something wrong? Did you catch a cold?'' 

 

The older Hamada muttered as he reached out, wanting to lay his hand on Hiro's forehead in order to check his temperature- but Hiro backed away. Like he was electrocuted. 

 

''Sorry'' The younger Hamada mumbled guiltily. 

 

''It's really nothing.. I'm just really tired..you know always winning takes a lot of stamina'' 

''I should probably just go to bed and rest for a little bit... you should too, by the way..nerd'' 

Hiro added with a small smile on his face, despite the terror, cursing through his veins.

 

He turned himself around as he moved to the direction of his bed. Heat still present in his face as he quickly started to undress himself. Goosebumps ran all over his body, the memory of his imagination still haunting him like a ghost. Humiliating him. Laughing at him.

 

''Good night knucklehead''  
Tadashi's voice came from the thin paper wall, separating the two of them, switching off the light. Turning their room pitch black.

 

Dirty..

 

Hiro felt incredibly filthy at this very moment as he wished his brother a good night and slipped behind his bedsheets. The younger Hamada closed his eyes...trying to fall asleep..trying to forget...

Nonetheless, Hiro could still feel the warmth which was radiating from his brother's skin. 

 

* Disgusting..Why..Why?..I thought that I finally got rid off those sick immoral feelings ..why....WHY ....just why?*

 

* My stupid brain...fucking stupid brain.... mixing up faces..mixing up feelings..those sick feelings..which didn't disappear....they only increased.*

 

*..I'm filthy...filthy ...such thoughts are disgusting* 

 

Hiro withstood the urge to slap himself in the face as he dug his head under the pillow. Trying to bury his thoughts under it. Not finding peace as he kept trashing against his bedsheets. Like he was fighting an

invisible foe which he was trying to wrestle out off his head, to wrestle out off his bed...out off his world..his carefree peaceful world which nourished and cherished his good brotherly relationship with Tadashi...

 

The younger Hamada felt utterly devastated but he didn't want to cry. Crying would arise the attention of his brother. And attention from his brother was the last thing which he needed in this situation. His brother would surely hear him with his abnormal mother hen senses. 

 

Hiro felt desperate...torn...and downright sad because he knew...that his biggest wish..would never be fulfilled. He needed to act normal. Needed to pretend, to get a hold of himself or his whole world would come tumbling down. 

 

Shatter into pieces.

 

Tadashi shouldn't suspect even one thing. 

Not even the slightest. 

 

If he found out that his little brother was in love with him..in a romantic and lust ridden way...he would never look him in the eyes anymore..he would back away....run away...and leave Hiro alone...

 

* NOO!!!! I can't let this happen! I just CAN'T!!!* 

 

A resolution grew within the younger Hamada and determination flowed through his veins, like  
slow-flowing iron and steel. He just had to act natural, had to keep it together, hold it in..like holding breath underwater...

Even he would end up drowning..

 

Tadashi..Tadashi was definitely worth it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WAIT!...please note:  
> *......* -> someone's thoughts  
> ''......'' -> somebody speaks  
> //.....//-> the other side
> 
> :D yay~

Tadashi Hamada lay restlessly in his bed, with his hands behind his head, serving him like a second cushion. He couldn't sleep. Not now. The older Hamada kept staring at his ceiling as he heard how his little brother continued to trash against his bedsheets. Worried he turned his head to the thin paper-wall which divided their room in two parts. 

*Maybe he has a bad dream?*

The older Hamada withstood the urge to jump out of his bed and to go to Hiro. He wanted to wrap his arms around his brother and calm him down. He would whisper soothing words in his ear, telling tell him that everything will be fine like he did when Hiro was younger and had terrible nightmares. 

 

However,..he couldn't do it anymore. It would be strange because Hiro wasn't little anymore. He was already sixteen years old...

*You need to let it go, Tadashi* 

The twenty-three year old swept Wasabi's words away, shifting his body on his right side.  
Still facing the dividing paper wall. 

*But maybe he is right?*

He didn't know how long he kept staring at the thin wall. After some time he heard how Hiro's trashing sounds lessened. Until the trashing was finally coming to a halt.

A few minutes passed as he began to hear a light snore, coming from the other side of the room.

* My big baby* 

Tadashi thought fondly with a smile forming on his tired face. He tried to close his eyes and to relax...but something still kept him from falling asleep...

Hiro's strange reaction an hour ago. 

*Why did he back away from me?*

*Did he smell the alcohol on my body?*

 

Tadashi caught himself snuffling his hand, checking his body odor. 

Lemons and a pinch of mint.

*No.*

He was sure, he erased the last traces of ''Royal Masquerade' in the bathroom. The raven mask was tucked away safely under his bed...

*But why did Hiro react this way?*

Tadashi looked at the direction of Hiro's bed while furrowing his brow.

* I don't understand...after I went home..I went straight to the bathroom..*  
* I brushed my teeth in order to erase the smell ... *  
* I went to the shower to clean my skin from the sweat of...*

Suddenly the image of the gorgeous fox boy appeared in his head.  
...Hips moving .....................  
............. his eyes kept looking at him mockingly and challenging...  
.....his red velvet lips.........................  
....................his cute little tooth gap.....

*HIS CUTE LITTLE TOOTH GAP?!!*

The older Hamada nearly jumped off his bed in shock as realization hit him like a train.

 

His heart was beating frantically against his chest. Like he just ran thousand miles.  
No...no ...just NO. This stranger surely didn't have a tooth gap...this was just his imagination...pure imagination...BUT why did he imagine something like that?

*He hadn't a tooth-gap..or had he?*

 

Maybe he was tired. Yes! That was probably the most logical consequence...yeah..just tired...it was a long adventurous day...and the alcohol certainly wasn't a good idea either...

 

//Bullshit.//

 

Tadashi ripped his eyes open. 

*What was that just now?*

A voice spoke in his head. Whispering the curse with Tadashi's voice. A cold shiver ran down his spine. He rarely ever swore. In fact he hadn't cursed since he was twelve years old...and that was the only time. The time he stopped Hiro from getting crushed by a car...god..he was so mad at him for crossing the street without paying any attention to the cars driving on it. 

He still remembered the feeling of complete devastation...picturing what could have happen if.......He recalled yelling at Hiro ...and making him cry..his baby brother..

*Hiro.*

Tadashi felt a pang of guilt in his chest, trading his fear against shame.

*How could I?*

The soft snoring of his little brother still filled the room. Hiro had a rather cute way of snoring  
It sounded like dancing cherry blossoms in the wind. 

 

Tadashi closed his eyes, concentrating himself on the sweet sacred sound...which made him forget about the voice in his head. The older Hamada tried to focus on something different, something else ...but he could still feel Hiro's lithe form pressed against his own....silky warm hands caressing his back....the sweet yet spicy smell of his skin..the way his chocolate brown eyes looked up to him...

 

Tadashi suppressed a long frustrated groan. It was wrong. Terrible. Horrible. Bad ...just abominably bad. He didn't even dare to look down on his midsection because he feared what he might see. Feeling disgusted, he turned himself on his stomach and pulled the pillow over his head, trying to cushion the illness in his head.

 

The twenty-three year old braced himself for a long night, thoughts continuing to haunt him like greedy animals seeking for flesh and blood.

 

Only the cleansing sound of Hiro's soft snoring remained in the room, slowly washing the devastation away. Until the older Hamada finally closed his eyes without even remembering falling asleep.

 

The sun shined almost too cheerfully through the louvered blinds of their room.  
Right in Tadashi's face. Like it concentrated intentionally on that specific spot which caused the older Hamada a massive headache. He groaned as he rubbed his tired eyes. Luckily it was Sunday and he didn't have to wake up at 6:30 in the morning.

Even though he slept eight hours....somehow he still felt like he slept only a couple of minutes. His whole head was hurting. Like a whole herd of robots had been trampled over it. Slowly the older Hamada tried to stand up. 

The light snoring from the paper wall told him that Hiro was still asleep. 

*Good* 

Tadashi Hamada knew he would need a moment to slip back into his role of the cheerfully big brother. 

Feeling hit by an enormously amount of bricks. The older Hamada signed and stretched himself slowly, last night's adventure still lingering in his bones. Carefully he picked up his pants from the floor and nearly tripped over himself as he tried to put them on. 

 

Groggily he made his way to their shared bathroom, rubbing his tired eyes. On the halfway Tadashi stopped, looking at the sleeping form of his little brother. Hiro lay curled on his side. His mouth was slightly open and was revealing his adorable tooth gap, which was probably created by Tadashi spoiling him too much with lollipops when he was younger. 

He was breathing delicately against his bedsheets. 

 

Something warm bubbled in Tadashi's belly. Hiro looked adorable and so peaceful at the same time. 

 

The older Hamada smiled. A new strength coursed through his body. He yawned a little as he stretched his back once again before he grabbed a new shirt from the closet and made his way towards the bathroom, closing the door carefully behind him in order to not wake his sleeping brother up.

 

The water on his skin was certainly refreshing. He sighed contently as the warm water drops flowed around his tired skin. Cleaning him from the last night's sweat. The older Hamada turned the water off before he stepped out of the shower. 

Tadashi toweled himself down and put his clothes on.

 

As he looked at the mirror, he gasped in shock, seeing a raven masked young male grinning provocatively from the mirror. He turned around, trying to if there was some other person in the bathroom besides him- but there wasn't. 

There was only him. 

And it scared him. Goosebumps ran over his body. 

Like an army of little soldiers, fleeing from the upcoming threat.

 

* No this certainly can't be happening..it's just a hallucination..*

 

Tadashi took a deep breath, closing his eyes in the process. He wasn't a religious person, but he prayed to god that whatever he was seeing will disappear if he opened his eyes once again.

Cautiously he opened his eyelids, preparing himself for the bad news.

 

He was surprised to see that he looked pretty much like himself again. 

The older Hamada smiled. 

The reflection smiled back. 

*Everything is going to be alright* 

He told himself reassuringly as he started to brush his teeth methodically. Staring at toothbrush of Hiro, which had a cartoon robot picture attached on it in order to tell it apart from Tadashi's own, because they were identical. 

 

The twenty-three year old walked out of the bathroom, quickly glancing at Hiro before he made his way towards the kitchen.

 

Aunt Cass was undoubtedly still sleeping.

 

Tadashi was used to prepare the breakfast on Sundays. 

As he climbed down the stairs, he noticed Mochi sleeping on her chair. 

 

The college boy smiled once again as he washed his hands and started to prepare his famous pancakes with blueberry sauce. Tadashi hummed a melody as he prepared the batter.  
Occasionally looking through the window, admiring the cherry blossom trees which seemed to glow in the sunlight.

 

After twenty minutes, the breakfast was ready. He poured some blueberry sauce on them as he reached out for the shelf and took a plastic packaging in his hand, taking out one gummy bear which he delicately placed on Hiro's plate. The red one's were his favorite. Even though he was already sixteen years old, he would always remain Tadashi's baby brother whom Tadashi couldn't help but to spoil.

He turned around to wake Hiro and Aunt Cass as he heard footsteps climbing loudly down the stairs.

''PANCAKES!! YES!!'' 

Hiro shouted happily as he saw the three plates which were placed on the kitchen table.

''Tadashi you are the best brother of the universe.'' 

Hiro stated, noticing the red gummy bear which was situated on his plate. 

The younger sibling ran towards Tadashi, giving him a quick loving hug.

'' I'll go and wake aunt Cass up!''  
With a content grin the sixteen year old made his way to her room.  
Hiro was always enthusiastic about food. It made Tadashi smile. 

Thank goddess some things never changed.

 

As they sat altogether on the table and ate, Tadashi thought that this moment should never end. After breakfast he followed Hiro into the garage and helped him to making a design for his new SFIT project. Later that day, they watched a movie together with aunt Cass.

 

It felt like everything went back to normal. As Tadashi lay in his bed at night, he contently closed his eyes and fell asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WAIT!...please note:  
> *......* -> someone's thoughts  
> ''......'' -> somebody speaks  
> //....// -> Tadashi's other side  
> §.....§ -> Hiro's other side
> 
> :D yay~

The younger Hamada stood tiredly in front of the San Fransokyo Institute of Technology.  
He couldn't sleep well last night. In fact, he couldn't sleep at all. Not even one tiny hour.  
Since his last visit at the 'Royal Masquerade' his ill-thoughts seemed to have climbed up, reaching a whole new level. 

Continuing to fight the invincible foe in his head, the sixteen year old made his way towards the modern building. It was dark as he entered the hallway. He met nobody on his way to the lab which he shared with his other friends. It was still abnormally early in the morning after all. Everyone else was probably sleeping soundly in their beds.

''Hiro, what are you doing here?'' 

Honey Lemon asked confused as Hiro took a step into their shared lab. The tall lanky girl was just about to mix hydrogen peroxide with potassium iodide. She was wearing her white lab coat and her blonde hair was bound in a loose ponytail. Various chemicals stood before her on the table. Some of them were steaming. Others glinted in a strange color. She looked questioningly at the younger Hamada. 

 

''I wanted to work on a blueprint for a new robot of mine'' 

Hiro answered shrugging as he made his way to the corner of the lab, near the window, where his workplace was located. Slowly he opened his backpack, revealing his design which he rolled out carefully on his work table. The sixteen year old had heavy bags under his eyes. 

§.. Why do you trouble yourself? Just let me out..let me out..........it will be fun~...§

A mischievous voice sounded in his head.

*Shut up*

The younger Hamada thought grimly. 

''So where is Tadashi? Didn't he drive you here on his moped?'' 

Honey Lemon questioned, wondering. The Hamada brothers were rarely seen without each other. They were usually inseparable. 

Hiro needed a moment in order to concentrate himself on the question.

'' Still asleep. I decided not to wake him up. Besides I'm old enough and capable of using the tram by myself.'' Hiro pointed out while sat down on his chair, eying his blue print before he started to add new lines on his project.

''Of course you are..I didn't mean to upset you'' Honey Lemon announced nervously.

'' You aren't '' Hiro stated reassuringly. 

'' I'm just a little tired because I couldn't sleep well last night'' 

The sixteen year old added, smiling weakly at her, not having the energy left for a full-fledged smile. Honey Lemon smiled understandingly as she dedicated herself back to her experiment.

 

''So... are you still trying to manipulate the four elements?'' Hiro asked politely attempting to start a conversation .

'' Yep. But it doesn't work as well as it should'' The blonde replied friendly, scribbling down more notes as the blue substance standing in front of her, turned pink.

'' Well there is always room for improvement, just look for a new angle'' Hiro stated smiling as he turned his back around so he could concentrate on his own project. In the background he could her Honey Lemon giggling at his Tadashi reference. 

§... Tada..shi~...Tada...shi~...Tada..shi~..Tada...shi~...§

Someone singsonged in his head.

* CUT THE CRAP OUT!!!* 

Hiro looked down and noticed how his hands were trembling.  
He mentally cursed.  
The younger Hamada thought, he would be the only one in the lab so early in this morning.  
He needed to clear his head. Something which wasn't possible with Tadashi around.  
And even if he wasn't, something deep within the younger Hamada didn't allow him to clear his mind. 

 

The sixteen year old took a deep breath and looked at his hands. 

* Breath in...breathe out....breathe in...breath...out....breathe in.....breathe out....and in....out..*

The trembling stopped. 

Hiro finally calmed himself down. 

He slightly glanced back to Honey Lemon, wanting to check if she noticed something. However, she was entrapped in her thoughts as she kept starring thoughtfully at the greenish blue mixture in front of her.

The younger Hamada let out a sign of relieve. He turned back to his project, continuing to work on his blueprint.

Honey Lemon and Hiro worked together silently. The younger Hamada felt strangely at ease. 

Finally he could relax...find his peace......

After a couple of minutes he started to fall asleep. 

Honey Lemon chuckled as she saw Hiro taking a nap on his blue print.

Soundlessly she took a picture with her cellphone. Then she decided to let the younger Hamada rest as she scribbled down another note for her experiment. The blonde girl continued to work while the sunlight started to fill their lab. Repainting the grayish color into a more warm one.

She liked to work on early mornings. They held this kind of calming tranquility in it, helping her to concentrate on her task.

Suddenly the door flew open. 

A very distressed Tadashi Hamada appeared in the door frame.  
His face looked downright terrified as he gasped for breath.  
Just as he adjusted his breathing, the older Hamada opened his mouth in order to say something- but Honey Lemon interrupted him by putting a finger in front of her mouth, pointing with her index finger into the direction of Hiro's sleeping form.

 

As Tadashi noticed his little brother, his tensed shoulders sank and he relaxed visibly, pulling his cap up in order to wipe the sweat off his forehead.

''Tadashi? Is everything alright? Is there an emergency?'' 

The tall blonde girl asked whispering in a worried tone, carefully, not the wake the younger Hamada.

''Yes- no. I guess... I just panicked a little. When I woke up, I noticed that Hiro was away and..  
I didn't know where he went.... there was no note...I guess that was just a dumb overreaction'' 

Tadashi stated scratching his head with a slight red blush on his cheeks caused by his embarrassment. 

''Don't worry I... kinda find it adorable how you take care of your little brother.''  
Honey Lemon mentioned with a light smile on her face. She once had a crush on the older Hamada but she knew that she didn't stood a chance. Watching how Tadashi turned even one of the prettiest students down, taught her a lesson. Of course, he hadn't turned the girl down harshly but in his own gentle Tadashi-like kind of way. 

The blonde girl wasn't sure whether he was not ready for a relationship or he just didn't few having one as necessary, he had his medical robotics and his little brother to take care of after all.

Honey Lemon wanted to know if Tadashi met someone at the 'Royal Masquerade' but she didn't want to ask him in front of Hiro.

'' So how is your experiment going?'' 

The older Hamada asked, ripping her out of her deep thoughts as he pulled off his jacket and placed it gently around Hiro's shoulders. Tadashi didn't want, Hiro to catch a cold. The sixteen year old shrugged a little before bestowing the older Hamada with one of the special little smiles of his.

 

Honey Lemon stared at the two brothers with a melting heart. The bond which they shared surely was something special. Others might find it strange that the siblings got along so well, but seeing those two..made it seem so natural. 

As Tadashi turned around to the lab coat wearing girl, she started to speak about her newest experiment. The twenty-three old listened attentively and asked her questions, giving her here and there constructive suggestions.

Tadashi and Honey Lemon were caught in a muted discussion as their other friends entered the lab room. Fred stormed in and sat on his favorite couch, pulling out one of his thousand comics. Wasabi started to place his instruments in the perfect order and Gogo walked over to her light wheels.

''Gogo, are you feeling better?'' Tadashi asked concerned.

''Of course. I just had to woman up. A little cold won't put me down for long''  
Gogo replied while popping her gum. 

 

Slowly the younger Hamada opened his eyes, noise hitting his ears. Especially Fred was loud. Very loud. Hiro smiled lightly, noticing a familiar green jacket which was wrapped around his shoulders. Tadashi's scent was still lingering on it. He yawned as he stretched himself.

''Looks like you're finally awake, bonehead'' Tadashi stated gently while he tried to avoid looking at the streak of skin which Hiro's red shirt revealed as the younger Hamada stretched himself. 

//...Pervert..//

Tadashi rubbed his eyes, trying to get the misplaced thought out of his head.

''Like any normal human being could sleep with all the ruckus you guys make''  
Hiro replied dryly as he casually hung Tadashi's cardigan over his chair, noticing how close Honey Lemon and his older brother were standing.

 

§.. Do you think they''ll become more than friends?~..§

§.. Well..I knew .. Tadashi would get himself a girlfriend..but..so soon...imagine... how her dirty hands would wrap themselves around Tadashi...kissing him...with those filthy lips of hers.....don't you get angry?~...§

* No..just no...shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up SHUT UP*

 

''I'll go and buy something to drink, okay?'' Hiro said quickly, gulping down the stone in his throat, created by the thought of Honey Lemon and Tadashi together in a romantic way.

He nodded to his friends as he left their lab in a hurry, wanting to get away as fast as possible.

The older Hamada watched how his brother hurriedly left their lab, like he fled from a wild animal chasing after him. Dreadfulness expanded in his chest. The older Hamada felt like his little brother avoided him on purpose. Maybe his biggest fear finally is coming true and Hiro didn't need him anymore?

''Tadashi, my man! Tell me! How was your last Saturday? Did you have fun? Or maybe met a lovely someone? '' 

Fred asked grinning, standing before Tadashi while wiggling his eyebrows in a suggestively manner. His other friends pricked up their ears, wanting to hear the details of the previous night.

The twenty-three year old turned as red as a tomato, remembering how he danced with the fox boy, in an almost sexual manner.

''Aww...guys look at that! Isn't it lovely? Our Tadashi is blushing!'' 

Fred laughed as he put an arm around Tadashi's shoulder.

''Come on tell us...what happened at the 'Royal Masquerade'?''

'' A gentleman never tells'' Tadashi told with a light mysterious smile on his face.

'' Finally our little college boy became a man!'' Gogo stated with a grin.

Tadashi turned red once again. A redness which shattered his attempt to put on a cool attitude.

''Aha. So you didn't go THAT far with the object of you affection ..yet'' Gogo said with a shit eating grin on her face.

* Am I really that easy to read?* Tadashi questioned himself.

// The current you..yes it is// 

The deep voice whispered in his head.

''Don't worry you don't have to tell us everything...the most important thing is that you've finally let it go'' Wasabi told Tadashi.

''Thanks?'' The older Hamada stated, rubbing his head trying to rub this whispering voice away.

'' You know...'' Gogo started. '' You can use your ticket the whole week till next Saturday. After the week, the symbol on the mask will fade and the ticket will lose its validity. I don't know how they make it but it sure is interesting....don't you think?'' She questioned popping her gum.

''Yes'' Tadashi told her absentmindedly already in deep thoughts about the possibility of meeting this mysterious fox masked boy again. He didn't know how but something about him...pulled Tadashi magically to him. He surely didn't have a tooth gap...yeah. He need to check. That’s why he will go to the Royal Masquerade again in order to-

''Earth on Tadashi. Tadashi are you with us?'' Fred waved with his hands in front of Tadashi's face. ''With what?'' The older Hamada asked puzzled.

''He probably is in deep thoughts about his masked girl'' Gogo stated.

Tadashi pulled his SFIT cap lower..so that the others couldn't see his face. To hide from further embarrassment. He didn't want to reveal that it was a masked boy not a girl. Surely his friends wouldn't judge him for his choice of gender, but the less they knew, the better.

''To not embarrass you even further dude...I come to the rescue...Do you want to eat at the yellow panda with us later?'' The comic nerd asked.

''Yeah. I just have to ask Hi-'' Tadashi stated as Hiro suddenly stormed into the lab like a hurricane.

His eyes were glinting and there was a huge grin on his face.

''Tadashi! Akira wrote me a message five minutes ago!''  
''His school ends in a few minutes. He wants to pick me up in front of the university.''  
'' I'm sorry but may I eat lunch with him instead of going with you to the yellow panda, how I usually do?''

Hiro looked up to him with his adorable puppy-dog-eyed expression, biting his lip.

'' Yes, of course you can'' Tadashi replied automatically without a second thought.

// He knows well how to push your buttons, doesn't he? I bet you would commit murder....when those innocent radiating eyes would ask you to, don’t you think?~ ...I would.// 

The dark voice in Tadashi whispered filled with fond acknowledgment. The older tried to get control over his brain again. 

 

'' You are the best! I knew you would understand it..So here a coke for the most awesome bro of the universe!'' Hiro mentioned happily before handing Tadashi the second coke in his hand, which he kept hidden behind his back.

Tadashi thanked his brother and took the drink from his hands, slightly brushing against the soft skin of Hiro's right hand. It would be so easy for the older Hamada to grab his hand and to pull him closer. Not letting him go. Go to this Akira guy.

Fire.  
Tadashi felt a fire deep down in his chest.  
He didn't know where it came from but suddenly it was there and it tried to eat him alive.  
Like he gulped down burning coal, which was burning everything away which met it's way. Fierce jealousy swallowed up every positive thought about Hiro's new friend...Tadashi doubted that this Akira guy was suited to be Hiro's friend. Or merely suited to be in his brothers presence.

In the distance everybody in the lab could hear the roaring sound of a motorcycle.

'' That must be him! '' Hiro claimed enthusiastically, running out of their lab in order to meet his friend.

//... Nobody...nobody...should ever make him smile like that but me...//

Unnoticeable Tadashi nodded along. Not fighting. Allowing the thought to spread slowly in his head and to lay its rotten eggs in his mind. He painted a smile on his face and followed Hiro, wanting to get a closer look on the person who wanted to steal his little brother from him.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A woman with glasses stood in a large room filled with many monitors, observing the brainwaves of her experiments. Each one of the monitors was connected to another person who visited the ' Royal Masquerade'. Especially two monitors caught her attention. 

One with a little drawing of a fox on it and the other one with a drawing of a little black raven. Laughing she began to type new codes on her personal computer, modifying brainwaves, lessening the pressure on the fox and increasing the pressure on the raven.

* Well, that will be interesting...* She thought, leaning back on her cushioned red chair with her green eyes, glinting in amusement.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WAIT!...please note:  
> *......* -> someone's thoughts  
> ''......'' -> somebody speaks  
> //....//->Tadashi's other side
> 
> :D yay~

Just as Tadashi followed Hiro through the hall, a sudden pain flashed through his brain, blinding him for a second, taking his breath away. It felt like a raw scream of agony in his head. But it went away as soon as it started, leaving a strangely familiar feeling behind.

// You should give that Akira guy a big warm welcome~ //

* Yes, you're right*

Tadashi thought absentmindedly, still following Hiro as murderous fantasies flashed through his mind. He kept following his brother like a shadow, to the doors which led out of the SFIT where Akira was probably already waiting.

___________________  
Wasabi, Honey Lemon, Fred and Gogo stood in front of the window and observed the scene before them. Fred was eating popcorn.

''Hmm...not bad.'' Gogo mentioned while popping her gum and eying up Akira's motorcycle.   
It looked expensive. The motorcycle was painted in a shiny classic black and had everything a motorcycle rider could wish for. In short: it was the perfect means of transportation to show off.

Tadashi, Hiro and Akira stood near the San Fransokyo Institute of Technology. The friends looked at them with curiosity. They all wanted to know who Hiro's new friend is and what he looked like.

Akira hadn't exactly an appearance which could be titled as 'non threatening'. He had dark red hair which was styled in a punk-like manner and he wore a piercing on his right eyebrow. A tattoo of a black spade covered a part of his left cheek. The red haired was dressed in a biker jacket and ripped blue jeans. 

The friends knew it was only a matter of time before Tadashi's mother hen instincts would kick in. He wasn't a person who judged people by their appearance. However, if it concerns the safety of his precious little bro ...he could judge like every other person would, if it's for the sake of protecting a loved one from possible danger. 

And they were right.  
___________________

 

As Tadashi looked at Akira, he sensed no good. Something was definitely off about him. Something about him just didn't sit right with the older Hamada. Just by looking at the red haired made Tadashi feel uncomfortable, even if Akira smiled cheerfully at both Hiro and him.

The reason must lay in the way he seemed to look at his little brother. A look which made Tadashi's skin crawl. Made him want to gouge Akira's eyes out with a screwdriver. 

//..Akira seems to seize Hiro up from head to toe.... he seems to be already imagining...laying his filthy hands on our precious baby brother..to-.///

The older Hamada suppressed a growl. He took a gulp from his coke, trying to get his mind off the strange thoughts in his head. Tadashi took a deep breath, collecting himself before he turned his attention to Akira.

''You must be Tadashi Hamada. The famous big bro I've heard a lot about'' 

Akira announced grinning as he cheerfully held out his hand for a handshake.

//...At least he's got some manners...but even that doesn't make him one inch sympathetic..I still...still want to gouge his eyes out...//

Tadashi thought grimly. But he smiled back automatically and took his hand. He still didn't trust that guy. Not one tiny bit. Unintentionally, he squeezed Akira's hand hard, feeling flesh and bones underneath his own hand.

//...It would be easy.... come on....it will be so easy to...//

* DON'T!* 

The older Hamada let the hand go. 

 

'' Wow..you really have a strong hand grip'' Akira mentioned while rubbing his wrist.

Hiro looked questioningly at his older brother. But Tadashi kept smiling. 

''Just so you know..I'm really sorry about last Saturday. I should have brought Hiro home sooner ..and it was awfully reckless from my side to let him drive with me without a helmet....that's why I bought this sweet baby today.'' 

The red haired turned to his dark motorcycle, opened a case and he handed Hiro a black stylish helmet. 

''Awesome! Thanks! Finally one helmet in my life which doesn't make me look like a complete dork'' 

Hiro declared grinning while he touched the black surface with his hands.

Abashed the older Hamada thought about the old worn out helmet which was stored in his own moped.

// I should be the one to buy Hiro gifts...I should be the one to make him this happy//

The older Hamada had a hard time to keep his smile attached to his face.

''I bought it freshly this morning. Your big bro here is right. I don't want to hurt you. Especially if we're going to drive more often.'' Akira said cheerfully.

//...More often....// 

Tadashi's smile showed a small almost invisible crack.

__________  
'' Guys...I think our buddy won't last long'' 

Fred mentioned as he continued to munch his popcorn. They friends nodded simultaneously as they stared at the scene before them. Somehow it reminded them strangely of a movie scene, where the worried father had to watch his little daughter go to prom with a strange dangerous-looking guy. Even from this distance they could see Tadashi's distrust.

__________

 

''So.. big bro see you later''

Just as Hiro was about to pull his helmet on, Tadashi pulled him over, giving him a big hug.  
First the younger Hamada wanted to wriggle out of his embrace. Embarrassment blossoming on his face. But Hiro relaxed as soon as the fragrance of mint and lemons caught his nose. 

A scent which felt nice and comforting.

He put his on arms around Tadashi, not caring whether it might seem strange for a sixteen year old boy to hug his older brother in front of his university- or not. 

As Tadashi kept caressing his baby brother's hair, he cast a look to Akira. 

All the friendliness was washed off his face and was replaced by a look which made the red haired flinch.

It was a look of pure hatred. 

The murderous intent was clearly written behind those hazel eyes. 

 

Akira was thrown out of balance. 

Just as the red haired was about to question his own mental health, the older Hamada was smiling again, letting go of his little brother and giving him a slight pat on the shoulder.

* It was probably just an imagination*

Akira thought with relief. He almost assumed that the older Hamada knew about his plan, concerning the gorgeous sixteen year old.

 

Hiro put on his helmet and climbed on the back of the motorcycle.

''Bye nerd'' 

Hiro waved Tadashi goodbye as he wrapped his arms around Akira's back.

 

//NO!..don't go! Stay here! Stay with me!..Please..please..please..//

''Bye bonehead'' Tadashi replied still smiling at Hiro.

 

''Stay safe'' He added affectionately as he waved back, trying to keep his composure.

Akira started the engine. They drove off and disappeared into the traffic of San Fransokyo.  
All Tadashi could think of was the sly hideous smile on Akira's face. Obviously enjoying having Hiro's his arms around him.

// It's...as if this garbage is mocking me...//

Not noticing the older Hamada utterly crushed the empty coke in his hand.

Tadashi had a bad feeling in his gut. He didn't know why..but he just somehow ..couldn't stand this guy at all. And this was strange for Tadashi because he always wanted to see the good in people..but in this case...he simply didn't want to see any good aspects at all..strange..

*Why?* 

// Who says that you have to be good all the time, hm?..//

 

''Dude!'' 

Fred called as the older Hamada arrived at the lab, ripping Tadashi out of his thoughts. 

 

''What happened to your holy recyclability?''

The comic nerd asked as he pointed at the crushed coke in Tadashi's right hand.

 

Finally noticing, Tadashi stared at the coke can in his right hand.

''I don't know.''

He answered truthfully.

''What's the matter? You are looking kinda pale there...''

Fred used his hands to pull up Tadashi's cheeks. 

''There..there...much better..with a smile everything can be cured..don't you agree guys?'' 

Fred stated, seeking for approval.

''No. With this expression he could scare away a whole bunch of kindergarten children.'' 

Wasabi declared matter-of-factly.

Tadashi batted Fred's hands away. 

 

''Everything is fine'' The older Hamada said trying to keep his composure.

''Really guys, stop fussing over me''. He added.

 

''Well... sweet cheeks, at least you know now, how Hiro always feels with you fussing all over him like a mother hen.'' 

Gogo mentioned while she packed her things together in order to head for the 'yellow panda'.

* Am I really like that? Am I bugging Hiro?* 

Tadashi thought devastated.

''Guys...stop it.''

Honey Lemon declared as the group made its way to the yellow panda. The 'yellow panda' could be described as something between a restaurant and a bar. They often eat there together on Mondays.

'' I just think..that maybe Tadashi isn't used to share the attention of his little brother with someone else...''

''Are you implying that Tadashi is jealous...of Akira?'' Wasabi asked disbelieving.

''Our Tadashi?'' 

He added, pointing with his finger at Tadashi's direction to amplify his point .

 

''Well...'' Honey Lemon continued hesitantly.

''Hiro always tends to spend all his free time either... at the university, at home or at the garage....all the time Tadashi is near and has Hiro's full attention...and yet with Akira nearby.....''

''Guys please don't talk like I'm not even here'' Tadashi stated vehemently.

 

''Sorry'' Everyone replied guiltily. 

 

They entered the local, took a seat at their favorite corner and ordered their food. As they ate silently Tadashi allowed his mind to wander.

* Maybe they're right..maybe I am jealous of Akira..he with his stupid motorcycle...and that dumb-* 

Tadashi shook his head. No. He didn't really want to go down there. He needed to relax. To loosen up.

//....Come on..can't always be the good guy...remember?...//

 

''Guys, what do you think, if we drink some sake?'' 

He asked solemnly.

Everyone at the table looked at him with shocked expressions on their faces, like he just declared to become a famous porn star. 

Tadashi and alcohol. Especially Tadashi offering to drink alcohol, was something as rare as winning money, playing the lottery.

They still looked at him like they wanted to see if this was meant as a joke or not. After a while Honey Lemon was the first to speak up 

''Tadashi are you serious?'' She asked adjusting her glasses, looking at him nervously.

''Yes, I am'' Tadashi replied, already looking at the menu.

Suddenly Fred put a hand on Tadashi's shoulder. 

''Everyone. All of you is now boomer of this unique glorious moment...Tadashi Hamada..THE mister responsible adult...has finally asked us, his friends to drink with him...'' 

The comic nerd faked a tear.

''I really thought that I couldn't live long enough, to see this wonderful day in which our little Tadashi becomes a man '' Fred added proudly.

''I said to drink and not to get drunk'' The older Hamada mentioned with arms crossed in defiance.

''Really? You don't know how thin the line between drink and drunk can be buddy. Trust me, I speak from experience..'' 

Gogo said grinning looking at the prizes.

''Should we really-'' Honey Lemon wanted to say something but Gogo pressed a finger to her mouth, silencing her.

'' Yep, we should. It helps to ease the tension and what I've seen from your struggling with your newest experiment, you can use plenty of easing. Don't hide it from me..I know that you've been working on it two weeks already, with no progress in sight. You just need to let off some steam '' 

Gogo stated, hoping to persuade Honey Lemon.

But the tall girl remained silent.

 

''What ? Cat's got your tongue?'' Gogo asked teasingly.

 

But suddenly Honey Lemon called the waiter. 

 

''We want five glasses of your finest stuff, sir'' she declared as the young waiter arrived.

''There we go!'' Gogo smiled. 

 

Once everyone had their own drink in their hand as they said cheers.

''May Tadashi finally be cured from his brother complex!" 

Everyone shouted as they chinked their glasses together and gulped their fierce liquid down.

* Is my love for my brother really that strange?* 

Tadashi thought tipsy but he put the thought aside as his drink was refilled anew.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WAIT!...please note:  
> *......* -> someone's thoughts  
> ''......'' -> somebody speaks
> 
> :D yay~

Akira and Hiro sat together on a table of one of the best pizzerias in town which made the tastiest pizzas in San Fransokyo. It was located on a hill, near the Centralkyoto park. Therefore it revealed a nice view of the park. Some people were jogging. Others were taking their dogs for a walk.

 

''You don't have to pay for me, you know'' Hiro mentioned awkwardly to Akira. 

 

The younger Hamada forgot his purse at the university and he wasn't comfortable with the idea of scrounging from somebody. 

* It's kind of strange...when Tadashi pays for my food it's normal and kinda natural...but with Akira...it just doesn't seem right* 

Hiro thought wondering.

 

''Don't you worry genius, you don't have to pay me back. You can also view it as a thank you gift for fixing up my motorcycle. Without you, I'd surely have to spend a lot more money on the reparation and besides I like to share my food''

Akira announced smiling while the waiter placed a very tasty looking salami pepperoni pizza on their table. The red haired handed him the money and wished him a good day.

 

''I'll definitely pay you back the money for my half next time'' 

Hiro clarified as his hunger took over and he started to dig in.

He closed his eyes and let the taste of the freshly picked ingredients flow through his nerve system. As the younger Hamada chewed, he let out a content sign. 

 

Akira kept looking at him. 

But Hiro didn't notice anything. 

 

He was busy eating, because he hadn't eaten anything all day. Running away from twisted thoughts in one's head certainly made one hungry.

However, now that he finally got to eat something, he felt somehow like something heavy was lifted off his shoulders and his mind seemed to become a lot clearer than it had been in the past days.

The voice in his head also remained silent since the 'Honey Lemon and Tadashi'- incident.

 

''Yo Akira, aren't you going to dig in? Your food will get cold!'' 

The sixteen year old stated as he finally noticed the full plate on his friends side of the table.

A piece of salami clung to Hiro's cheek. Akira wanted so badly to lick it slowly of Hiro's face while tracing his fingers through his silky hair. But such actions weren't appropriate. Not yet at least. Akira shook his head as if he was trying to get some thoughts out of it. He had to school himself to patience. 

He knew it was only a matter of time before he could win the younger Hamada over.

 

'' You know, for someone who is supposed to be a genius you still seem to eat like a five year old child'' Akira mentioned grinning while pointing at his own cheek.

Hiro blushed as he brushed it away with the sleeve of his blue hoodie. 

Akira smiled as he placed a slice of pizza in his own mouth. 

 

Right next to them sat a couple, who was feeding each other with pizza slices. The boy kept smearing the girls face with tomato sauce. But the girl didn't seem to mind. She was laughing at his fruitless attempts.

Hiro looked at them. 

They strangely reminded him of the time, when he was seven years old and Tadashi fed him with the mini cakes of aunt Cass. His own face was also a mess back then, but only because he couldn't sit still, laughing at the funny facial expressions which his older brother made while feeding him.

The boy cleared his girlfriend's face gently with a handkerchief as he bend down to her and pressed a soft kiss on her lips. One kiss turned into more and suddenly their innocent kiss turned messy.

 

* Well THIS was something Tadashi and I definitely didn't do...*

Hiro signed, turning away. It seemed like his sickness didn't pass him. Even though the voice disappeared, the want was still there. Strangely the kiss also reminded him of a certain raven masked boy whom he met at the club. 

Maybe it was time for him to head back to the 'Royal Masquerade'? 

If his want for his older brother was something like a sickness, like a cold...he needed to get cured. He couldn't lose Tadashi. Not to something like that. He needed to get back to ' Royal Masquerade'. 

A resolve formed in the head of the younger Hamada.

 

''Akira! I have another favor to ask you.... Can you cover me tonight? Like you did last Saturday? I...I have to go there again'' 

Hiro announced while biting his lip and looking at him expectantly.

\- ''And I can help you learning for this math exam you're so terrified of'' The sixteen year old added quickly.

 

''Well...you're a very manipulative one, aren't you Hamada? Just how can a human being possibly withstand those eyes?'' Akira stated dramatically.

''Nope. No one can'' 

Hiro replied as he leaned more forward and looked at him in anticipation.

 

'' Alright.'' Akira mentioned with a defeated sign. 

He knew what he had to do if he wanted to get on Hiro's good side. The red haired boy restrained himself from grinning like a maniac as he felt warm arms wrap around his shoulders

''Thanks!" Hiro beamed at him as he hugged him.

 

* So close.*

*I just need to follow him later tonight, maintaining a low profile. Secrets certainly do tie people together, don't they? And maybe I can use it to cut his powerful ties with this overprotective creepy big brother of his. If Tadashi isn't around, it will be much easier to get near Hiro.*

Akira thought pensively. 

 

''Just don't forget your promise. You. Me. And simultaneous equations.'' 

The eighteen year old stated happily as they both walked out of the pizzeria, heading towards his motorcycle. The weather surely was nice. The sky was painted in a friendly blue and the leaves of the trees seemed to dance in the wind. Moving to a foreign melody.

 

'' Do you want to play some games at my house? I want to introduce you to the 'Last of Us'.   
A really great constructed zombie apocalypse survival game with an amazing story line.   
It may get a little bit bloody but what your big bro doesn't know won't hurt him '' 

Akira suggested while they walked to his motorcycle.

 

''Why not? It's still in the afternoon and Tadashi probably already returned with his friends to their lab and is currently working on his new updates for Baymax.'' 

Hiro declared as he wrote a short message to Tadashi on his cellphone, telling him about his afternoon activity. As he typed the words into his electric device, he was pretty thankful for the convenient circumstance that he already learned how to prevent somebody from putting a trace on his cellphone. It would be a hindrance if Tadashi found out about his late night activities.

With a sign Hiro put his cellphone back into his pocket.

 

'' You certainly have a strong connection to your big brother, don't you?''

Akira asked friendly while they went down the hill to the parking lot. 

Hiro couldn't prevent himself from turning slightly red while he thought about how strange it must have seemed for Akira to witness him and Tadashi cuddling. The younger Hamada wasn't six years anymore. An age in which it was normal for siblings to hug each other randomly.

 

'' Yeah, we share a strong connection.... Sorry, if my hug earlier with Tadashi made you feel uncomfortable. Tadashi just sometimes has his moments..... He often worries a lot about me.  
You know, I didn't tell you before...but my parents....they died in an accident when I was only three years old''

Hiro stated hesitantly, playing with a leaf in his hand which he picked from the ground.

''Oh god..Hiro..I'm so sorry..I...I didn't know''

Akira mentioned apologizing, lowering his head.

* Well this will make things a lot more complicated* He thought to himself.

 

'' Don't worry..I ..I can't even remember their faces, but I still remember the look on Tadashi's face as the policemen stood in front of the door. Aunt Cass was babysitting us that day.  
Tadashi was ten years old that time..... After we've lost our parents he took care of me...that's why he can be a little bit too overprotective sometimes.... you know? I'm his only family left. Besides Mochi and aunt Cass of course...''

The younger Hamada stated as he opened his palm and watched how the leaf was blown away from his hand by the wind.

Akira kept staring at him. 

He doubted the sixteen year old boy beside him knew, how beautiful he looked at the moment. The red haired boy never doubted his sexual orientation but as Hiro came into his life, he just couldn't keep his eyes from him. He was lucky that his motorcycle decided to break right in front of the younger Hamada two months ago.

 

'' Hiro...you mentioned before that Tadashi is now probably with his friends at the lab...but aren't they your friends, too?''

Akira asked wondering, trying to lead the course of the conversation into a lighter direction.

'' Yes, of course they're also my friends but...I became acquainted with them through Tadashi...so I didn't meet them on my own..so technically speaking you're my first true friend''

Hiro mentioned embarrassed while scratching the back of his head. A habit which he adapted from his older brother.

'' Sounds pretty lame, don't you think?'' He stated awkwardly.

 

'' No. Not at all. I feel honored to be the first friend of the great genius Hiro Hamada!''

Akira declared as he kneeled down before Hiro, like a knight before his king.

 

Hiro started laughing. '' You're silly'' He claimed as both of them reached the parking lot.

 

______At Akira's house_______

''Wow...the graphic is pretty advanced'' Hiro announced stunned as he looked at the screen with hands moving on his controller, trying to get past the bandits.

'' Told you so'' Akira replied satisfied with a smirk on his face. 

They both kept playing until a faint melody of Immortals by the famous band Fall Out Boy filled the room. Hiro excused himself quickly as he paused the game and put his controller aside. He got up and walked to the hall in order to pick his cellphone up.

Looking at the ID, he knew it was Tadashi.

He typed on the little green picture of a phone as he held his cellphone to his ear.

'' Hiroo...my -hic- big..baaaaby brooother..my little -hic- knucklehead...'sup?''

''Hooow ya -hic- doing -hic?'' 

''Imma biit wowieed about -hic- ya here. Is thiias -hic- Akiwa guy treating you -hic- you wewll?''

 

''Tadashi... I absolutely don't have a clue what you're saying...wait...is this a prank?'' 

Hiro asked hesitantly, already having a bad feeling about this.

 

''Noooo? -hic-'' Tadashi tried to answer.

''Wait. Are YOU drunk?!'' Hiro shouted disbelieving while trying to keep his voice down.

 

'' Naw.....or yes..-hic- maywee? A liddle biiit dru -hic- drunk...'' Tadashi replied tipsy through his cellphone.

'' I jus'..I jus'..-hic- miss...-hic..'' Tadashi tried to verbalize.

Hiro could hear in the background the voices of Gogo and Fred. They seemed like they were caught in a discussion about recyclable underwear.

''Where the hell are you?'' Hiro asked angry. 

He hoped that Tadashi is fine and didn't decide to do anything stupid.

''No...-hic- sweariiing -hic- is baaad...I didn't....did not raise you -hic this wayyy'' 

Tadashi hiccuped.

'' Are you still at the 'Yellow Panda'? '' Hiro asked but he already knew the answer.

* Damn....Dashi..you big dork..*

 

''Wait there! Don't move. I'm picking you up'' Hiro stated as he hung up his cellphone and walked into Akira's room.

''Sorry Akira..I have to go...my brother isn't feeling very well at this moment.'' Hiro announced hurriedly while collecting his stuff together.

'' Oh...I hope its nothing serious'' Akira replied. '' You need a ride?" He suggested.

 

" Nope I'm good. The place isn't that far away from here'' Hiro stated while he thought about the best shortcut he could take. Even with the shortest one he'd need at least 30 minutes. Even if he ran. 

It would be better to accept the ride.   
But somehow he couldn't accept the ride. He didn't want that Akira saw Tadashi this way...  
It wasn't like he was ashamed of him...It was just a family thing...and Tadashi and him needed to sort this out...alone..together.

* Why did he even drink?*   
*There must be a serious reason...* 

Hiro couldn't still wrap his head around the obvious fact that his big brother..his role model..his moral compass..got drunk like that.

''Well ...alright'' Akira said, ripping Hiro out off his thoughts.

'' You can call me if you need my help'' The tattooed boy added.

Hiro nodded as he took his backpack, left the room and started to make his way to the Yellow Panda. 

After the house of Akira faded from his view, he started to pick up his pace. Running, he jumped across fences and run through private properties as he moved towards the direction of his brother. 

Worry was nagging in his chest. 

Well at least he knew now, how Tadashi felt about him going to bot fights at the age of fourteen.

The lack of knowledge about the well-being of Tadashi was nerve-racking.

 

______Meanwhile at Akira's house______

A tattooed boy sat on his couch with the controller in his hands. Said hands were shaking.  
Close. He was so close this time. But then Tadashi fucking Hamada destroyed his opportunity.

Full of anger Akira threw his controller against the wall. It bounced back and landed on his couch.

* With him around... I can't get closer to Hiro..*

Akira started to pace in his room. 

* There is no other way..somehow I just need to...get this dumb overprotective piece of shit away from Hiro...*

* And then I would have him all to myself..yeah right...I just need to get ride of this big brother of his..Hiro can't suspect a thing..he would come crying to me...asking for comfort...*

* But how can I accomplish this?*

* It needs time. Time and good planing*

Akira reached for his pocket and took out a photo which he secretly took. It showed the younger Hamada in front of the SFIT.

* Soon....don't worry Hiro...soon we'll be together.*

 

Akira smiled as he caressed the picture lovingly.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WAIT!...please note:  
> *......* -> someone's thoughts  
> ''......'' -> somebody speaks  
> //..//-> Tadashi's other side
> 
> :D yay~ ( Thanks for reading :D )

''You know babe....everything has a system...and you could be a part of mine'' 

Wasabi stated devotedly as he looked at the indoor plant in his hands, just as Hiro entered the Yellow Panda. The younger Hamada was out of breath and watched puzzled how Wasabi leaned forward in order to kiss the plant on one of its petals. 

Automatically Hiro reached for his pocket and took a snapshot with his cellphone.   
This was priceless. Such an opportunity shouldn't be left unused. 

Fred and Gogo sat next to Wasabi. Fred kept gesturing like a madman to prove his point.  
They were still discussing something, but it seemed like they've changed the topic of their conversation. Now they talked about Marvel and DC comics. Hiro never saw Gogo with such an expression on her face before. She was sulking. Gogo and sulking. It was as difficult to imagine as Barbie going with the Terminator to an AC/DC concert.

Honey Lemon and Tadashi were in the close proximity. The tall girl was writing something on a piece of paper and kept muttering words like: ''Yeah...finally ...I think I'm close.....''

 

It was five pm in the afternoon and they were already drunk as hell. Luckily the Yellow Panda seemed to tolerate drunken people as long as they had enough money and didn't start any unnecessary ruckus. But Hiro had a feeling in his gut which told him, said ruckus would start with the rise of the alcohol level.

His older brother sat across Honey Lemon and stared dreamily at the screen of a pink cellphone which clearly didn't belong to him.

 

Nevertheless, Hiro was glad and relieved to see his older sibling safe and sound.

 

''Hi guys!'' 

The younger Hamada greeted his friends as he made his way towards the group. 

''Hello Hiro'' They greeted him back instantly, smiling at him. 

As Tadashi turned his cinnamon gaze at him, the younger Hamada noticed a red flush which spread out slowly on his older sibling's face.

*Probably from drinking too much alcohol.* Hiro thought.

 

''Heyyy -hic- my little -hic- genius..glad...that..-hic-..you here..wiiith meee~..not with this..-hic-'' 

The twenty-three year old tried to put into words as he stood up and made his way groggily to Hiro. On his way to his little brother, he collided with two chairs which stood in his path. The chairs fell to the floor with a thud. Despite his drunk condition, Tadashi reached for both of them and put them back in their original position.

Strangely it reminded Hiro so much of Baymax, he had to suppress a laugh.

As Tadashi finally stood in front of his little brother, he took Hiro gently in his arms and started to caress his hair with a fond smile on his face, breathing in the sweet yet spicy scent which always surrounded Hiro like an invisible cloud.

''My biiig baaaaaabyyyy..'' 

The older Hamada announced proudly while pressing Hiro closer to his broad chest, enjoying the feeling of having his little brother so close to him.

A few people turned their attention towards them. 

Their friends also saw the scene and started to laugh.

'' Seems like Tadashi had one drink too much'' Honey Lemon mentioned giggling.

 

'' Hiwo..-hic- love...staaaay...stay..-hic- with..meeee..hic...love..-hic- alwaaayy...alwaaays''

Tadashi muttered against the soft ebony hair. 

The older Hamada felt like he could do this all day. Just standing here and keeping to hold Hiro like this. He didn't need anything else to live. Just Hiro. Only Hiro. Tadashi was happy. Very happy. Hiro chose to be with him. Him not Akira.

Soft. Hiro's hair was as soft as a cat's fur.

'' My..-hic- ..haaaiiiirryy baaaaaby! ~...'' 

He verbalized punch-drunk and loud. Foremost loud. Much to Hiro's distaste. The younger Hamada wished that the floor under him would turn immediately into quicksand, so he could slowly sink down in it. Disappearing from everyone's view.

Their friends started laughing harder. A lot harder. 

So hard that Fred choked on his drink. The laughing increased as Wasabi tried to help him by patting his back. He totally forgot that he still was in the possession of an the indoor plant. As a consequence Fred's whole back was covered in dirt.

 

* Serves him right* Hiro thought grimly with flushed cheeks. 

His face burned. The younger Hamada never felt so utterly embarrassed in his life. Except for the one time Tadashi decided to show around Hiro's baby photos. Clearly, the worst things always seem to have their origin in a good intention.

From the corner of his eyes Hiro noticed how a waiter disappeared behind the curtains.

* This can't be a good sign* Hiro wriggled himself out of Tadashi's strong embrace.

''Guys...I'm going to take this drunk nerd home. Have fun and don't go too crazy!'' 

He announced as he dragged his older brother out of the Yellow Panda. 

Tadashi was clearly higher and weighted more than him but in his wobbly state...he seemed to have absolutely no control over his body. He just followed Hiro along, swaying unsteadily out of the Yellow Panda and through San Fransokyo. If it weren't for Hiro's soft but firm hand which tugged him forth he would've certainly lost his orientation, ending up sleeping under a bridge.

 

* We need to get to the cafe without anyone noticing Tadashi's state.* 

Hiro led his older sibling through the less crowded areas of the city. Tadashi tagged willingly along. Fortunately the twenty-three year old decided to concentrate more on his footsteps than to utter any other words which could end up in complete embarrassment for the younger Hamada.

 

// Closeeeer..try ..to move closer......this is the chance..take..take it....//

Tadashi shook his head confused and concentrated on Hiro. Especially Hiro's backside. The older Hamada bit his own lip. Hard. He didn't want to but he already imagined laying his hands on Hiro. Fondling every inch of his body. Pleasuring him. Claiming him.

A hot shiver ran down the older Hamada's back. He took a deep breath and tried to focus onto something else. Like the soft warmth of Hiro's slim hand. Unconsciously he began to draw small circles on Hiro's hand with his thumb.

 

Hiro's breath hitched. But he kept his composure. 

*It doesn't mean anything. It's just a brotherly gesture*

He focused his attention on their current problem. The sixteen year old remembered an article about alcohol he once read on a web page. 

After a while an idea sparked in his head. The alcohol needed to get out of Tadashi's system in order for him to look reasonably normal when they passed aunt Cass.

 

* I'm sorry Tadashi* 

Hiro thought guiltily while leading his older brother into an abandon alley.

 

He stopped and turned around, facing his brother who still kept looking at him groggily with flushed cheeks. It seemed like they became a shade darker.

''Dashi, you know that time...when we were little? We used to held hands and turn quickly in circles...come on...please... take my other hand.." 

Hiro spoke in slow and carefully placed words. 

His older brother looked at him with a fond look in his eyes and nodded slowly with a drunken smile on his lips. 

* Hopefully he doesn't notice that I want to make him sick on purpose* Hiro thought.

After a few minutes Tadashi took Hiro's other hand. Now they were standing in a dirty alley and held hands. The younger Hamada had to suppress a giggle. This whole situation was just absurd. It seemed like they switched their roles. And now Hiro was the responsible one. The older brother.

The sixteen year old took a deep breath.

''Dashi...please keep looking in my eyes...yes like that.." 

Hiro said as he began to move his feet.

'' -Baabyy" Tadashi mumbled in a daze.

Hiro cheeks turned red. He suppressed a groan as he turned in circles. First it was slow.   
After a while he increased the pace. The world became blurred. They were spinning.  
Tadashi's face started to look pale after a couple of minutes. 

Hiro decreased the pace, finally coming to halt. 

They stopped.

The older Hamada detached his hold of Hiro and turned himself away as he vomited his contents on the street corner. He pressed his hands against his stomach. With a groan he threw up another greenish substance on the ground, right near the container. His SFIT cap flew off his hand. The younger sibling caught in on time. Hiro stood by his side and patted him on the back.

" There..there everything will be alright" Hiro muttered softly.

'' Hiwo..'m sooorry...'' Tadashi whispered weakly. His head was still dizzy and he had the taste of his own vomit in his mouth.

''Hang in there big guy'' Hiro mentioned as he opened his back pack and started to search for his water bottle.

''Here. Drink it up'' He offered his older brother the opened bottle.

Tadashi smiled weakly at him as he the bottle and drank the water greedily.

''Can you walk?" Hiro asked questioningly while he put the baseball cap back on his owners head.

'' Defiiiine the woooord walking pwease" Tadashi mumbled as he put a hand on his head.

He had a massive headache.

 

''I'll take that as a yes. Come on Dashi. Take my hand. We just have a couple more minutes left to go.''

Tadashi took slowly Hiro's hand. They both walked together silently. Hiro tried not to think about the warmth of his brothers hand. Or about the way his brother kept caressing the palm of his hand with his thumb. Stupid alcohol. Stupid Tadashi. A few people kept starring at them. But Hiro didn't care. 

''It would probably be the best if you leave all the talking to me'' Hiro stated as the stood in front of the cafe.

''Hmm'' Tadashi replied groggily. 

They entered the Lucky Cat cafe. Curious costumers were looking at them. Hiro greeted them friendly. Tadashi nodded and smiled while holding his head demonstrating a good portion of sickness. 

Hiro pulled Tadashi towards the door behind the counter which led them to their apartment upstairs. Hiro signed relieved. 

*Maybe aunt Cass went out grocery shopping?* He thought. 

But he was grievously wrong.

''Hiro! Tadashi! Is everything alright?'' Aunt Cass asked, suddenly appearing behind the counter. Hiro nearly had a heart attack. 

* Come on. Pull yourself together*

He smiled at his aunt. '' I'm fine. But I think Tadashi is feeling a little sick. I was just about to lay him down and give him medicine'' Hiro declared. 

'' Oh..my..I think you're right. His cheeks are red and he looks like his head is hurting...  
Should I call an ambulance?'' Aunt Cass announced worriedly.

''NO!'' Hiro voiced. ''I mean it won't be necessary aunt Cass, he just needs to rest a little and to drink his medicine. I will take good care of him'' He added hurriedly.

Warm arms. All of a sudden big warm hands pulled him to a broad chest. 

*Tadashi* The younger Hamada strutted.

'' Hi..ro 's right. I..I just need to re. rest for a while'' His older brother put into words.

He gave aunt Cass a weak smile.

'' Fine. But be careful'' She glanced at them with concern. 

A costumer saved them from further interrogation by ordering a cheese cake.

* Safe* Hiro thought, relaxing. 

He wrapped an arm around Tadashi's waist in order to support him. 

The younger Hamada wasn't strong enough to hold Tadashi's whole weight. 

They nodded at their aunt and opened the door. Climbing up the stairs was a very difficult task. Especially with Tadashi stumbling over his own feet. With a lot of dragging, Hiro finally managed to close the door to their room behind him. With an exhausted sign he released his hold of Tadashi.

''Now..go to bed Dashi'' Hiro told him softly.

All of a sudden Hiro's world turned around as he was pinned to a bed. 

 

By Tadashi. 

 

His older brother was panting. Warm breath ghosted over Hiro's face. Tadashi looked down straightly at him through foggy eyes. Like somebody put a curtain over them. They seemed darker. A lot darker.

Hiro gulped at the sudden closeness. His hands were held above his head by one of Tadashi's hands. The other hand slowly wandered down to his stomach.  
The younger Hamada tried to free himself. He struggled. But Tadashi didn't let go.   
He only increased his hold, looking directly at Hiro, licking his own lips.

Tadashi leaned forward. And nuzzled his brother's neck. Hiro went still. 

*Ta..Tadashi?!* 

With a content sign the older Hamada took Hiro in his arms. Freeing his hands.  
They were huddled up to one another. Tadashi pressed Hiro against his chest and caressed his head once again.

'' Hiro..smell...ni... nice...I...I.love..-hic- my baaaaby -hic- brooother...whyyyy? Dooon't -hic- groooow...up ...Don't leave...don't...''

Tadashi's voice faded away. Hiro could feel the rhythmic heartbeat of his brother's chest against his own. It seemed like he finally fell asleep. 

* What does he mean by don't leave?* Hiro thought puzzled.

* And why did he even drink so much? What was the reason for all this mess?*

He laid in Tadashi's bed for a while. He couldn't move. Even if he wanted to, he could..but he   
didn't want to remove himself from Tadashi's gently embrace. It felt good. So good.   
They hadn't shared a bed together anymore since he was ten. 

It was nice. Hiro kinda missed having his brother this close. Of course they hugged often but not..not..in this way...

Hiro could feel Tadashi's body pressed against his own. He could feel his-. 

 

Hot. 

Suddenly it was unspeakable warm.

More.

More.

Hiro wanted more.

Hiro wanted to trust his hips against his brother.

He wanted to feel skin against skin he- Hiro ripped his eyes open.

*NOOO!*

Panicked he struggled himself out of Tadashi's grip and fell on the floor.

His older brother grumbled unhappy in his sleep. Luckily he didn't wake up.

 

Hiro's heart was beating frantic against his chest. 

*NO!!.. This is my brother!*

*The person who watched how I got my diapers changed as a baby for god's sake!*  
*The person who took care of me when I was ill !!*  
*The person who read me bed time stories !!!*

Wrong.

 

* Something is definitely utterly wrong with me. Disgusting..awful...gross...how..how can I even imagine doing something so shameful?!*

*... And I ..I can't even control it.*

*This is madness!*

* I...I this desire ..this is not normal..it has to go ..away...it needs to go..it..-*

 

Air. 

The sixteen year old didn't get enough air. He was hyperventilating. He slung his arms around his shoulders as he started to sway slowly back and forward in order to calm himself down. 

His cellphone ended up on the floor in the process.

The younger Hamada stared at his electronic device. His breathing evened out.

Suddenly it clicked in his head.

With shaking legs he got up. The clock on the wall showed him that it's 10 pm in the evening. Strange... he didn't even notice how fast time flew by. Aunt Cass was probably already in her bed. And sleeping. A perfect opportunity to sneak out.

He quickly sent a message to Akira. Then he pulled his backpack with the mask and his cloths from under his bed. Hiro had a distinctive feeling that he was forgetting something...

Right a note. 

He needed to leave a note. 

If Tadashi decided to wake up, he needed to know where Hiro went and if he looked at this tracking device of his...he would surely see that Hiro was safe and sound at Akira's house.

Strange..Hiro never questioned Tadashi's motive behind the placing of trackers on all of his hoodies. 

Hiro was shocked when he found out that his brother used them to find him when he went both fighting two years ago.... but on the other hand...Hiro didn't know how to describe it.. 

Flattering.

Yes, it was kind of flattering to know that his brother still cared about him deeply.

*Maybe as deeply as I?*

*STOP!!!* 

Hiro shook his head violently.

 

He headed to his bed and took his blanket. With cautious steps he went to his older brother and put the blanket gently on his sleeping form. 

The sixteen year old placed a soft kiss on Tadashi's forehead. 

* Why did it have to be you...nerd?* 

Hiro whispered sadly against his brothers sweaty skin which still smelled like mint mixed with lemons.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WAIT!...please note:
> 
> *......* -> someone's thoughts  
> ''......'' -> somebody speaks  
> //...//-> Tadashi's other side  
> ''----''-> indicates the start of the 'bad guys'
> 
> :D yay~ Thanks for reading my stuff^^
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was warm. Almost too warm. But somehow still comfortable. A sweet and spicy fragrance infolded the older Hamada like a cocoon. Tadashi opened his eyes. He felt odd. A nasty flavor filled his mouth. Everything around him was dark. Thanks to the moonlight, which was shining softly through his window, he could still make out the schemes of a few items in his room. No sounds were coming from the dividing paper wall.

*Strange... how did I even get here? And where is Hiro?*

//Probably ran away..... you can't blame him~...//

The last thing Tadashi remembered was holding the cellphone of Honey Lemon in his hands, staring at the picture of Hiro, the one when he was taking a nap on his desk. He had looked so cute and downright adorable. The way long eyelashes shone in the morning sun and the way his rosy lips- Wait. 

No. 

His sixteen year old brother shouldn't look cute to him. Or adorable. He should look normal. And Tadashi definitely shouldn't be looking at his lips... 

// Liar..liar..liar~.......just imagine..how soft they would feel..pressed against your own...//

The older Hamada shook his head. 

// You can't deny it~....I know you want it~......//

He shook his head once again.

Tadashi carefully tried to sit up. In the process a blanket slid from his shoulders down to his hips.

It was a red blanket. 

A blanket which definitely didn't belong to Tadashi. 

* Hiro* The older Hamada thought smiling. At least he knew now from where the delicious scent had come from.

// How cute..our little darling is so caring~...and you almost stained him..//

An aching pain went through his brain. He felt dizzy. Water. He needed water.  
The older Hamada looked around. Darkness. Posters. Wait right there!  
Right next to him stood a glass filled with the invisible life-saving fluid. Next to it stood a pack of aspirin. And a note. Tadashi withstand the urge to unfold the message. Instead he took the painkiller and gulped it down with water. After a few moments the pain in his head decreased. 

He felt better. 

// Ha..ha..ha~ seems like your body is already adapting to the alcohol// 

The older Hamada put the empty glass back onto his shelf and started to massage his head, trying to lessen the pain, which felt like thousands stinging tiny needles in his brain. Realization slowly dawned to him.

He remembered everything. The way his little brother had to drag him out of the ' Yellow Panda'...the way he had to watch his older responsible brother throw up on the street..the way he kept circling his soft hand with his thumb...

* How can I possibly look him in the eyes again?! I'm his older brother! I should be the responsible one!! I...I...oh god..I hope I didn't do anything more...mortifying*

//...well~....//

Suddenly Tadashi remembered how he pulled Hiro closer ..how he pinned him to his bed. PINNED HIM TO HIS BED?!!

* NOOOOOOO! I ..I didn't do anything to him..did I?!*

// you fell asleep before you could...//

Tadashi's heart was beating loudly against his chest. Finally he looked at the note and the note seemed to stare back to him. What if Hiro ran away? Ran from his creepy older brother?..What if he was disgusted and grossed out by him and decided to never come back again..? 

*Oh god.....*

Ice cold fear was running through his veins.

The older sibling’s hands were shaking as he took the note and slowly started to unfold it. 

Hiro's messy handwriting greeted him.

\----Hi Dashi or should I say TaDRUNKshi? :) Anyway...I hope you're feeling better...--------------  
\----If you just woke up now and wonder why your little brother isn't present...------------------  
\----I decided to visit Akira again. He wanted to show me some new games.---------------------  
\----I'll be back at 45 past twelve. --------------------------------------------------------  
\----Well ...get some rest----------------------------------------------------------------  
\----PS: Don't worry. You didn't lose face. I still love you--------------------------------------

A wave of relief flowed though Tadashi's heart. 

* I didn't do anything to Hiro* He thought relieved . And Hiro still loved him. 

//...As a brother...as a brother....// 

A hollow voice sounded in his head, like it was also upset about the obvious fact.

Tadashi shook his head. He looked at the clock. 

* Hmm...only eleven o'clock in the evening?*

He pulled his tracking device from under his bed. The yellow blinking point verified Hiro's current location. Hiro was indeed at Akira's place. 

* Somehow it would be better if he was still bot fighting* 

* Why did he go to Akira? Couldn't he just stay here by his side?*

//...awww...are you jealous?..//

No. He wasn't jealous. Jealousy didn't even belong in his vocabulary. He had to treat everyone kindly. He had the duty to show Hiro what's wrong and what's right.

He had his obligations.

Tadashi Hamada was definitely not jealous of an eighteen year old brat with a motorcycle which looked much cooler than his own worn down moped. He wasn't jealous of Akira.  
Akira who would get to see Hiro's smiling face... hear his lovely laughing.

A flash of anger bubbled up in Tadashi's stomach.

//..Mine..mine..mine..he should be only mine.....//

*Wait! Hiro isn't someones property! Especially not mine!*

*What am I doing?*

// ....a distraction...is needed.. go visit this club again...come on~..it won't hurt...or you will personally hunt Akira down...I can feel it...the want to set fire to his pretty little motorcycle ..//

// Come..on...come..on ...come on..come..on..trust me..ME..me..come..on...//

The words kept swirling in his head. His own thoughts were swept away. 

In a trance Tadashi collected his things and made his way to the 'Royal Masquerade'.

 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
''Excellent! How wonderful!~ At this rate, the experiment will be a complete success!''

The woman with green eyes adjusted her glasses once again as one of her electric devices started to print out the results of the brain waves. She didn't know who the raven-masked subject was-but it also wasn't necessary. The only thing she needed to know was how his brain responded to the neurotransmitter stimulus.

The synchronization was at 65%. A result which is only visible by one another mask wearer. The fox masked subject.

Soon. Soon. She just had to wait a little longer. Soon she will accomplish her goal.  
With a fluid motion she opened one shelf and put her results into a folder named RA5/2015.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

~~~~~~~At the Royal Masquerade~~~~~~~~

He wasn't there. The fox boy wasn't here today. Tadashi sat at the counter and looked around. Masked people were moving on the dance floor. It was a pity that the fox boy wasn't there.  
He made Tadashi forget about his immoral feelings. 

The older Hamada signed as he looked at the dancing crowd once again. 

He had ordered a non-alcoholic drink, because he still wasn't ready for the real stuff.  
The moving lights hurt his eyes. The powerful bass and high-pitched notes seemed to fight a war in his head.

*Maybe it wasn't such a great idea to come here...*  
He thought grimly while taking another gulp from his drink.

''Hey, handsome~'' A familiar voice sounded next to him.

* Could it be?..* 

Tadashi turned around. And yes. There he was. He was leaning against the counter. The cocky fox masked boy from last time. 

He wore his red sleeveless hoodie open so it accented the white tank top which he wore underneath, leaving no room for imagination. Tight black jeans hugged his lower body like a second skin.

Tadashi licked his lips.

''Hey, my eyes are up here'' 

Fox boy claimed amused as he grabbed Tadashi's glass and to a sip from it.  
''Hmm..I didn't peg you as the kind of guy who drinks non-alcoholic stuff''  
He stated and returned the glass to its owner.

'' So did you miss me raven~?''  
Fox boy questioned sheepishly while leaning forward, revealing a creamy white neck. 

Tadashi gulped.

''Raven?'' Tadashi asked confused as he looked around in order to check if the gorgeous boy in front of him was talking to somebody else.

''Yes, I mean you'' Foxy declared, laughing. 

*The mask!*

*Of course!*

The mask which marked him as a raven! Tadashi wanted to face palm himself for his own stupidity. How embarrassing. That's what you get from no dating experience.

At a closer look the older Hamada noticed that this boy had a tooth gap.

Tadashi's breath hitched.

''You still there big guy?'' The fox-masked asked while waving his hand in front of his face.  
'' You clearly seem a bit out of it..did something happen today?'' He questioned with concern.  
In the disco-light his amber eyes glistered with worry. He moved closer to Tadashi and tilted his head to the side, revealing his delicious vanilla collar bone.

''I...'' Tadashi started, trying to collected his thoughts together. ''I'm sorry...I ..would you mind if I asked you a personal question? He asked hesitantly while he took his glass and emptied it in no time. Even though no alcohol was added in his drink, he suddenly felt more lightheaded. 

''Sure why not'' Fox boy answered leaning back onto his bar chair. 

''How did you get this pretty tooth gap of yours?''

Fox boy blushed. 

Tadashi had to suppress a grin. 

'' Well...there was a fight. I happened to get between. Got hit in the face. Tooth fell out.  
After that... it didn't want to grow back in the perfect position'' He replied shrugging.

'' Nothing special'' The boy added eying his surroundings.

'' For me it's special'' Tadashi said non-thinking, leaning unconsciously forward.

The Fox boy blushed even harder this time.

Tadashi gained more confidence.

'' So why did you had to leave so early last time? I missed you..''  
He mentioned nonchalantly while he looked him in the eyes.

'' It's a secret'' The smaller boy whispered as he leaned closer to Tadashi, seemingly regaining his composure. His face was up close to Tadashi's.  
His eyes were like the polished mahogany which the older Hamada saw only used for the construction of the rich mansions. 

In addiction...Tadashi was intoxicated by his scent.  
It lured him in...sweet and yet spicy..

The scent was so familiar...and yet so strangely new.

Fox boy's breath wandered over his left cheekbone.

Tadashi shuddered. 

''So...Do you wanna to dance pretty stranger~?'' Fox boy questioned with an inviting smile on his lips . 

'' Only with you beautiful'' Tadashi answered with a deep rough voice.

He didn't sound like himself at all. His own voice sounded alluring and dangerous.

The grin of the fox got wider.  
He grabbed Tadashi by the arm and pulled him to the dance-floor.

 

~On my waist, through my hair.~  
~Think about it when you touch me there~  
~Close my eyes, here you are all alone dancing in the dark.~

 

The lights shifted from different kinds of blue tones. And the music was no longer hurting his head. On the contrary it went to his core like a stimulating fluid.

 

~Tell me baby if it's wrong~  
~To let my hands do what they want?~

 

Tadashi was utterly lost in the gaze of the gorgeous figure before his eyes. The boy moved his body to the bass. Teasingly he danced in circles around Tadashi. As he brushed occasionally Tadashi's body with his own.

 

~Late at night I pretend we are~  
~Dance~ dance~ dancing in the dark~

 

Like magnets both boys were pulled towards each other. Unconsciously the older Hamada mirrored the moves of the boy in front of him as he was pulled closer. 

 

~Dancing in the dark ~

 

Their lips met. Tadashi was catapulted into a whole different universe.

~

Oh la la~ oh la la~ oh la la~  
~Dancing in the dark ~

 

They gasped for breath as their lips met again. And again. And again. And again.  
Hands wandered around cloth fabric and a bit of skin. Hips grinned against one another.

Heat.

An all consuming heat surrounded Tadashi's mind as it traveled through his blood and wandered south. Tadashi moaned against the pretty mouth which was pressed against his own.

Fox boy parted his lips, exposing his tooth gap. His eyes were like melted chocolate.  
The older Hamada couldn't keep himself under control anymore.

Tadashi licked the beautiful lips of the fox boy and begged to enter.  
Painfully slowly the mysterious boy allowed Tadashi to enter his mouth.  
Both gasped at the sudden contact. Bodies still moving to the rhythm of the music.

Wet heat slid against one another. The 23-year old grabbed the smaller boy's face roughly as he pulled him even closer.

The fox boy moaned. A bit saliva poured off his mouth. Tadashi greedily licked it away. ''Ra..raven'' He gasped out while his mouth was being invaded again. 

The cocky grin was back. Tadashi felt warm hands around his neck which pulled him even more closer. The heat grew stronger. Tadashi suddenly had the undeniable animistic impulse to rip the clothes of the gorgeous human being in front of him and to make him writhe below him.

 

Tadashi's body seemed to move on its own as he broke the contact and drew his face closer to the boy's deliciously looking collarbone. The fragrance of the boy waved over him. The older Hamada breathed in more deeply. He could feel how the fox boy shuddered.

It was like a drug. A drug in which he was drowning mercilessly. The older Hamada could feel how the blood boiled beneath his skin. 

The boy started to grind his hips harder against Tadashi's.

'' So you want to play~?'' Tadashi asked roughly against the feverish hot skin. He pulled the sleeveless hoodie on the side. A vanilla shoulder was revealed. The exotic scent hit Tadashi like a wave. Tadashi licked a trail around the flesh as he closed his lips around one particular spot and began to create a hickey.

The boy shivered moaning lightly as he grabbed Tadashi's hips and started to press his heat against the older boy. Tadashi was never so aroused in his whole life. 

His whole mind was going blank. The friction. The heat it was too much..it was..almost-

Something vibrated against his midsection. 

With a frustrated growl the fox masked boy released his hold of his dance partner as he checked his cellphone. He had a conflicted expression on his face. 

The younger male seemed to be torn but whatever message the screen seemed to show...it must held a really big importance for the boy.

''Can't you stay..stay just a little bit longer?'' 

Tadashi asked the fox-boy out of breath.

Fox-boy bid his lip as he slowly shook his head.

Before Tadashi could even comprehend the boy pulled him down and kissed him on the lips. Just as Tadashi wanted to wrap his arms around the lithe body beneath him...  
The boy disappeared into the masked dancing crowd. Once again. Like a warm breeze on a cold day.

The older Hamada didn't wait long. He followed him, chased after him through the masked crowd. But there were to many people. Tadashi tried to follow him. But the boy was already away. Unreachable.

* Why do you always disappear?* The older Hamada asked himself.

* I don't even know your name* 

//..Why do you want to know his name?...I know... you were imagining Hiro in his place the whole time anyway~~~//

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
''80%!!! By both of them! We've never had such a high result during our experiment!''  
''Firstly I wanted to concentrate on just their brain activities but I have to find out more about them....They're special. Most of the experiment can't even reach the 39% and they're already at 80%! What an amazing occurrence!~''

The green-eyed woman started to pace around her room. Quickly she took a few more extra notes before she put them in their correct folders. As she kept looking at the monitors, a plan formed in her head. She increased to pressure on the responsible brain areas as she satisfied leaned back against her comfortable red chair.

The pressure was now at its maximum. For both the fox-masked-subject as well as the raven-masked-subject.

''Madam..? Isn't it too much?'' The voice of an assistant sounded from her right. 

She bore her laser gaze towards him.

He gulped loudly, before hiding his face behind his clipboard, already regretting stating his opinion.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song which was used is called ''Dancing in the dark'' by Dev :3


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WAIT!...please note:
> 
> *......* -> someone's thoughts  
> ''......'' -> somebody speaks  
> //...//-> Tadashi's other side  
> §...§ -> Hiro's other side
> 
> :D yay~ Thanks for reading :)
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Hiro entered the room, he was surprised to find his older brother sleeping on his back.  
The red blanket was placed messily around his body and Tadashi's loud snore filled the room.  
Hiro had to suppress a laugh. 

His older brother snored like a giant whale.

The younger Hamada was curious about the fact that the whole neighborhood didn't seem to have already woken up from it. Even aunt Cass didn't seem to be bothered by it.

However, Hiro knew her secret: ear-plugs. 

She once had told him, ear-plugs kept her sane, healthy and strong. Especially when Tadashi and Hiro were little. They both couldn't fall asleep easily and they were restless. Always loud in the process of finding some sleep. Well..maybe not Tadashi. But Hiro was.

Nevertheless, Hiro felt a little ache of disappointment in his chest, because he was not greeted by his brother's warm smile and his worried eyes.  
* Maybe he didn't wake up after I left?*  
The sixteen year old questioned, while he carefully made his way towards his bed. He quickly undressed himself, skin still burning from the stranger's touch, as he noticed the blanket on his bed.

A blue blanket which shouldn't be here. A note had been placed on it. 

*Tadashi* Hiro smiled, as he unfolded the message. He used the screen light of his cellphone in order to read the note.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------  
\--Good morning my little genius or should I say goodnight? :)---------------------  
\---Hiro..first of all...I wanted to apologize to you.-------------------------------  
\---You shouldn't have seen me in such a state...---------------------------------  
\---I went a little too far with drinking....----------------------------------------  
\---I was just frustrated because the new upgrade didn't work well...----------------  
\---I'm really sorry and I won't drink ever again if it bothers you.-------------------  
\---Thank you for the blanket, the medicine and the note.-------------------------  
\---You're an awesome little brother :)-----------------------------------------  
\----I love you, sleep well my little knucklehead.---------------------------------  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------  
\--P.S I really hope that you arrived at 45 past twelve-----------------------------  
\--if not- I placed the alarm of my cellphone on exactly 1am.----------------------  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hiro darted towards his older brother's half of the room as he snatched the cellphone on the shelf away and put the alarm on silent mode. He signed in relief. One minute later and Tadashi would've got all 'Dashi' on him..but- Hiro glanced at his brother's sleeping face.

§... It's not like you would mind~....you love the way he worries about you...don't you?~..§ 

Hiro's eyes trailed down Tadashi's sleeping body. 

§... Doesn't he look just hot like this?~....Look at this muscle flexing~....§

The younger Hamada shook his head. 

* No. No. Not normal. This isn't normal*

But the younger Hamada couldn't restrain himself after all. He leaned closer to Tadashi, enjoying the fresh, yet musky scent, coming from his skin, which made the sixteen year old dizzy. His older brother had a peaceful expression on his face. 

If Hiro had to pick the most adorable attribute of his older brother, he would've say: His ears. 

They were a little too big and stuck sometimes out off his cap. But for Hiro they were Tadashi's trademark. They were what made out of Tadashi, Tadashi. When his older brother blushed, his ears got red first and then the redness started to spread to his cheeks.

§..Just one little~....just..one little kiss~..wouldn't hurt...right~?....§

The voice in his head said, encouraging Hiro to take action. 

The younger Hamada bent down and started to stroke his older brothers cheek lovingly.  
He felt like he'd been put under some kind of spell. A spell which wiped all the wrongs away.

But just as he was about to press a kiss on Tadashi's lips- something inside of him rebelled.  
Like a child throwing a tantrum deep inside his chest. Hammering with tiny fists against his dizzy heart. The sensation swept the spell away, leaving only sadness and deep longing behind. 

The younger Hamada kept staring at his brother, as he placed two chaste kisses on each one of Tadashi's ears. 

§..Maybe you could suck on them a little more~?..I'm sure big brother would enjoy it~....§

* Go away. *

As Hiro made his way towards his own bed, he didn't notice the way Tadashi's lips curled into a smile and the way his ears flushed in a deep shade of pink. He didn't notice the way Tadashi's hands clutched around the red blanket.

 

The younger Hamada laid down onto his bed and stared at the ceiling above him.  
In a few hours, the darkness will be replaced by the light, so he should probably go to sleep.

But he couldn't. 

The younger sibling still felt a little off. Like drunk-off or put under drugs-off.  
The sixteen year old thought about the mysterious boy from Royal Masquerade.  
About the probability of getting over his feelings for a certain whale-like snoring nerd. 

Hiro felt a pull towards the raven-masked male. He never saw someone staring at him with such an intense gaze. It was peculiar how Hiro even himself, acted around him. Normally he needed his time to get warm to strangers. He needed time to adapt himself to the individual standing in front of him. He wouldn't admit it to anyone-but he was a pretty shy person deep down. 

However, something about the raven masked was familiar. So familiar that Hiro decided to trust him, the moment he laid his eyes on him. Safe and comfortable. The sixteen year old only felt that way when Tadashi was around. And his scent. The fragrance of something fresh as well as musky. Strangely familiar and yet exotic.

 

Hiro could still feel the intense touch of raven's hands around his body. It was his first kiss as well as his first kiss with tongue....and his first hickey...In spite of the warmth of the room, Hiro shivered. 

§..It surely feels nice, doesn't it?~...Finally letting go~ submitting to your inner instincts~  
.....feeling how you are dominated by strong hands which hold you down~...............  
........................................... strong hands like Tadashi's~.........................................§

 

* Cut it out!..please cut it out...cut it out..cut it out...*

§..Why?..It wouldn't be so much of a fun this way~and you need me~need me~need me~§

*No! NO!!NO. no...no...no?..no?...may...maybe?....maybe...*

 

An odd feeling swept through Hiro's mind. 

 

§...Good.boy..good..boy~...you..need me...because..you..need him~..so very much~...and it hurts ..doesn't it?....§

§...It hurts thinking about how wrong all these feeling may be....§

§..It's downright painful...to know....that he'll once be out of your reach...that he'll be leaving..§

 

*.... How-how di-did yo-you ...know....?*

Uncertainty spread inside the younger Hamada, before slowly sinking in.

 

§ ..I know everything~...just let me help you...lessening the pain...let me help you~§

§...just give me a little bit control....don't worry~ only a little bit~....Hiro~..Hiro~..Hiro~...§

§..I'll help you...help you~..to relax.....to find sleep~....§

 

It was useless to fight.

 

Hiro signed and turned himself onto his stomach. A feeling of fatigue waved over him as he started to drift to sleep. The voice kept murmuring things into his head. Tempting things about possibilities. About his desires and about his biggest wishes.

 

The younger Hamada dreamed of rough hands roaming around his body. Caressing, kissing and fondling every part of his skin. He dreamed of tongues sliding against the most sensitive parts of his body. 

Hot. He felt hot. Like his body was dunked in lava. The hands and tongues which touched him, didn't belong to the raven-masked boy. 

They belonged to Tadashi.

 

His older brother.

 

~~~~~In the morning~~~~~~~~~~

'' BOYS!!! Wake up!! Otherwise you'll both arrive late for SFIT!!!''  
Aunt Cass' voice cut like a knife through Hiro's skull. With a groan he opened his eyes.  
And closed them right after two seconds. It was far too bright.

''Five more minutes'' He mumbled while he tried to turn to his side in order to get into a more comfortable position. As he turned, he felt a sticky fluid between his legs. If he would've been awake, he surely would have panicked by now. But he was tired. Deadly tired. His mind didn't even know what to do with this newly arrived information. Therefore, he didn't pay any attention to it at all.

As Hiro turned around, seeking for a far more comfortable position, he couldn't move. 

It seemed like he was stuck. 

He needed a few more minutes to realize that he got tangled up in Tadashi's blanket while he was sleeping. He struggled, wriggled and pushed. 

*oh no..no..no. Not the floor..no-*

With a loud thud Hiro fell to the floor, still tangled up in Tadashi's blue blanket.

''..iro? Hiro are you alright?'' The sleep drunken voice from Tadashi sounded suddenly right next to him.

''Wait..I'll help you knucklehead'' Tadashi announced amused as he started to unwrap his little brother. 

'' You know..you kinda looked like a little burrito right now'' Tadashi declared laughing.

//...A very taste one~...//

 

Hiro intelligently stuck his tongue out. As tried to get up, he stepped on a tool which he carelessly left on the floor last day. He lost his balance. The younger Hamada would have fallen to the ground once again, if it weren't for Tadashi and his 'super-older brother-reflexes'. He caught the younger Hamada in the mid-air.

Hiro was wrapped in his brother's arms.

*Comfy...*

§...Take the chance~..come on~....I know you want it~..he'll certainly..... will notice the cum in your boxer-shorts sooner or later anyway~...§

 

Hiro jumped out of Tadashi's embrace like he was hit by electricity, the sticky fluid between his legs suddenly seemed to burn like acid. Hurriedly the younger Hamada made his way towards the bathroom, mumbling a quite ''..sorry..'' to his older brother, before slamming the door behind him.

Hiro's face burned in shame, recalling his dream from last night and the role which his older brother took part in it.

* How could I? How could I? HowcouldIHowcouldI?!!* He thought as he hid his face in his palms, resting on the closed toilet lid. 

*But who knows maybe it is something else? And not...not..*

Hiro pulled his dirty boxer-shorts down to his knees.

*No..this is definitely not just any sticky substance.* Hiro gulped. Shell-shocked he stared at the mess between his legs and on his stomach. It was far too much. 

So sickening much.

 

There was a knocking on the bathroom door.

''Hiro? Hiro is everything fine? Are you hurt?'' 

Tadashi's voice sounded from behind the door.

'' Peachy. Everything is just wonderful'' Hiro replied weakly. 

 

''What? Hiro please speak louder! I can't hear you..''

 

Great Tadashi sounded concerned.

 

''Everything is FINE! Don't worry! Just give me a few minutes!!!''

He shouted back towards the door. 

Hiro heard how Tadashi's steps left their room and climbed down the stairs.

*Maybe I was a little too harsh..?* Hiro questioned, while throwing his underwear into the laundry basket. The younger Hamada turned the water on and cleaned himself up. He kept showering without washing his hair. There was no time left for it anyway.

He felt a lot better after the treacherous traces left from his body.

After a few minutes, he walked out of the bathroom with a towel bound around his hips and a hand, covering his hickey. Fortunately Tadashi wasn't in the room. Hurriedly Hiro threw on a new shirt and bent down in order to reach for new underwear from his drawer of the bottom shelf. 

§...Turn~around...turn around~ turn ..around~..come..on~ pretty please~...§

Annoyed, Hiro abruptly turned around, wanting to bring the voice in his head to a halt.

He met the cinnamon eyes of Tadashi. His ears shone in the brightest red tone Hiro had ever seen. And his cheeks were flushed.

§..Rawr~...maybe~...you turn~........... him on?~...§

* Stop that bullshit!..that's just sick!! It's the alcohol!!! The alcohol from yesterday!!!*

''What are you standing here, looking so dumbfounded nerd? We're getting late for nerd school.''

Hiro stated teasingly, wanting to bring at least some normalcy back into his chaotic life.

'' Hiro...." Tadashi wanted to say-but Hiro interrupted him.

'' Look. Why don't you just go to the bathroom and clean yourself up properly? I can smell you even from here.'' Hiro declared with arms crossed in front of his chest.

''I..I think..I don't smell THAT bad....'' 

The older Hamada raised his right arm and sniffled slightly on his armpit. He screwed his face up.

Hiro laughed with tension lifting from his shoulders.

'' I think..you're right...'' The older Hamada stated defeated, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment as he grabbed his clothes and closed the bathroom door behind him.

Hiro signed. As fast as lightning he put his black boxer shorts, his blue hoodie and his trousers on. He packed his back pack and disappeared in the kitchen, preparing their lunch boxes for another glorious day at the SFIT. While he made 'onigiri', triangle formed rice balls, he chatted with aunt Cass. The radio played some country music in the background.

* It feels like everything is going to be fine....Everything is going to be alright*

The younger Hamada kept thinking, ignoring the way his hands seemed to tremble.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Meanwhile the older Hamada stood in the bathroom and stared at Hiro's dark red boxer-shorts. He was just about to throw his own clothes into the laundry basket, but after seeing Hiro's red article of clothing, he paused in his movements. 

Tadashi didn't even know himself, what he was doing anymore. Right and wrong constantly tormented each other. His ears still burned red, while he reached out and took the cloth in his right hand.

*I..I just need to check..how..how dirty it is so I can..can decide on which degree I should put the washing machine on*

//Yeah..riiiiight.....................................you're lying, aren't you~?..//

// You just... want to take a sniff on his delicious sweet and spicy scent.... don't you?~//

// Oh..my...what a perverted big brother~...I wonder how Hiro would react, if he saw how you're just about to take a sniff at his underwear...//

*No..I'm not! And I didn't want to-* Tadashi dropped the article of clothing like it bit him.

Shame rippled through the twenty-three year old.

A moment ago he was gazing at his little brother. His own eyes were traveling through every curve which Hiro's body had to offer and eying up the way his backside stretched around the towel as he bent down in front of the bottom shelf.

// Close..so close~..such a little tease..isn't he?~//

* LEAVE ME ALONE!!!*

// ...You're not scared, aren't you?~...There is no reason to be~........loving someone as pure and beautiful as Hiro isn't a sin...it's natural~...//

* It IS a SIN!! IT'S A TABOO..leave me alone..leave me alone---leave me alone!....please*

Tadashi dropped to his knees, hiding his face behind his palms. His hands were shaking.

// Don't worry..~//

A strange sound filled Tadashi's head, like a constant beeping. It increased. Grew stronger and louder till it swallowed up his angst.

//..come on~ enjoy yourself a little~//

//..trust me~..trust me~..trust me~..trust ME~..trust..me...come on~//

*....Okay.*

The older Hamada was lost. Drowning.

Before Tadashi could comprehend, he already had Hiro's underwear in his hand and breathed in the sweet yet spicy fragrance which clung to it. As he started to press it closer to his face,  
he noticed a wet stain. 

The older Hamada blushed deeply.

//..well~ it's pretty normal for a young healthy boy at his age to masturbate~...//

Hesitantly he bought the piece of clothing to his nose once again. The scent hit him with full force this time, causing him harder to breathe.

//..Just imagine~...how he slid his hands down his own underwear at night~...pleasuring himself as he-//

''Tadashi?'' Hiro's voice sounded from behind the door.

''Are you ready? We have to leave in the following ten minutes!'' The younger Hamada added.

 

'' Yes! Could you give me a few seconds?'' Tadashi asked, gripping the red underwear tightly in his hand, before panicky throwing it into the laundry basket. He was lucky that his little brother didn't possess the ability to see though objects. Like a wall-or a door for example.

''Okay! But only a few seconds-or I leave without you, nerd!'' Hiro replied.

Tadashi turned the water on. His heart was beating frantic in his chest. As he looked in the mirror, he noticed a white fluid which clung to his cheek, right near his lips. Without a second thought, he licked it off his face with his tongue.

It should feel disgusting. He should feel disgusting for doing this kind of thing but still-  
His heartbeat sky-rocked. 

At the very right moment, Tadashi's senses seemed to be on the verge of exploding. 

The taste. 

The outstandingly excellent flavor, which tasted like Hiro. Like his younger brother.

Tadashi was lost once again.

//..it's Hiro's~..Hiro's~..........Hiro's~...........Hiro's~....Hiro's~...........//  
//.. Think about~...how he would look at you~....with flushed cheeks~...asking you to...give him pleasure~.......to-//

Hurriedly Tadashi stepped in the shower and put the water on antarctic cold mode.

He felt like, he was being hit by an iceberg. Hell. By a lot of icebergs as well as by a mighty snow avalanche. 

As the final traces of heat left his body as well as his mind, he turned the water down.  
The twenty-three year old dried himself up and put his usual clothes on.

 

The older Hamada stepped out of the bathroom, without even bothering to look at the mirror.  
He was afraid of what he might see. Hiro was already standing impatiently in their room.  
With a fluid motion he invaded Tadashi's personal space as he tried to put a familiar cap onto his head. 

In order for Hiro to reach Tadashi's height, he had to stand on his tiptoes.

* How cute* Tadashi thought smiling as he kneeled himself down, sparing Hiro the further embarrassment not to be tall enough to place a cap onto his older brother's head.

Tadashi felt like on a coronation, as Hiro finally placed the cap onto his head.

Strangely the simple gesture made Tadashi fell a lot more like his old self again, even if the cap now seemed to weight like thousand tons. A feeling created by his guilt.

A few moments later Tadashi and Hiro ran out of the Lucky Cat cafe. If they didn't hurry up, they would be late for SFIT. And they both knew from experience: Professor Callaghan didn't tolerate late students. Never.

Today's lecture was also an essential lecture for their graduation. 

 

Tadashi started his engine of his moped. Hiro wrapped his arms around his brother and they drove off to SFIT. As they rode through the traffic, Tadashi allowed himself to enjoy the feeling his brother's warmth pressed against his back. It made him feel at ease.

Like everything which had happened in the bathroom was nothing but a feverish morbid nightmare. 

 

//....It's not a nightmare~ the delicious taste is still in your mouth~.... isn't it?~//

Tadashi ignored the whispering voice and concentrated himself on the traffic.

 

~~~~~~


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WAIT!...please note:
> 
> *......* -> someone's thoughts  
> ''......'' -> somebody speaks  
> \----- -> indicates part of the 'bad guys'  
> §.....§ -> Hiro's other side  
> //...//-> Tadashi's other side
> 
> :D yay~ Thank you all for reading my stuff^^
> 
>  
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
''This is just downright perfect! Who could've guessed that their synchronization would climb up to 91%?! This is far more than I expected after these new adjustments!''  
The green-eyed woman stated happily, eying up the results which her monitors presented, the flickering of the screens was reflected jittery in her glasses, like they wanted to escape from her gaze.

''Don't you think so too..Mr. Heartnet?'' She asked, turning her head slowly to the direction of her new lab assistant. The young male fidgeted nervously, eyes focusing onto one particular spot in the lab. One spot which still had traces of blood from the previous lab assistant on it. He gulped audibly before turning his head back to HER.

'' Yes, I'm perfectly sure with such results, we can except an even greater outcome of the experiment. We're already so close, nothing can go wrong anymore''  
He declared enthusiastic, a little drop of sweat made its way down to his neck. He wiped it off, still looking at the green-eyed woman, searching for her approval, for her mercy.

''I thought so too. The animalistic brainwaves and the rational brainwaves which every human posses, are indeed certainly interesting..'' She mentioned as she looked at the protocols from subject RA2015 and subject FO2015 which laid upon her wooden desk. 

''If we keep on increasing the animalistic waves with the wireless access point of the neurotransmitter in their masks, we can finally overwrite the rational with the animalistic.  
Their animal will be far easier for us to control, than the thinking human being.  
Don't you think?'' She questioned over her shoulder.

''Yes, madam!'' He answered positively while trying to control his goosebumps. He had his doubts about the moral aspects of the experiment. When he agreed to take part in it, he blindly believed the lies which they told him. And now there was no going back. If he tried to- he would end up like the poor soul before him. 

''Now would you kindly go through our database? I'd like to find out more about our well promising subjects RA and FO.. ''

''Yes, madam! I'm on my way!'' He declared, suppressing the strong impulse to make a salute in front of her, like he was at a military camp, before disappearing behind an iron door.

''Good...'' The woman leaned back, satisfied. ''Everything is going according to the plan'' 

Once both of the subjects went past the 99%, she would finally reap what she sow.  
With a laugh she spun on her chair.  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

~~~~~~At the San Fransokyo Institute of Technology~~~~~~~

They actually made it in time. The Hamada brothers entered the classroom just right before the ring tone sounded from the tiny but powerful loudspeaker on the left side of the room.  
All of the other students were already sitting on their seats. Hiro took his usual seat, right next to Tadashi in the third row, just as professor Callaghan arrived.

The Hamadas smiled relieved at each other, still out of breath from running up the stairs.

The lecture began and Hiro wanted it already to be over. It was the hardest lecture in his young life. And not because it seemed necessary difficult for him or boring.  
A massive need to sleep kept the younger Hamada company. Hiro was still lacking sleep from his previous late night activities. On the top of that an agonizing headache terrorized his brain. Even though the voice in his head remained strangely calm and silent since the ride to the institute.

The professor continued to talk about electrodynamics. Explaining the advances of using this and that. And what would happen if the student didn't consider bla, bla or bla.

As Hiro glanced to Tadashi, he had to suppress a mischievous grin. At least he was not the only one suffering. He prodded Tadashi lightly with his left elbow so that his older brother didn't fall asleep. Even his cap didn't manage to hide his low sunken head or his heavy-lidded eyes.

Tadashi shook awake and bestow Hiro with a thankful smile.  
* Too nice for this world..too good..* The sixteen year old thought, shaking briefly his head.

He blushed slightly as he felt something warm pressing against his shoulder.

''Tadashi?'' Hiro asked whispering in disbelief as the older Hamada leaned closer to him. There was no space between their shoulders. 

''It's a precaution....I know its strange..but I hope it doesn't bother you helping you old big bro here not to fall asleep?'' His older brother whispered back questioning. A faint shade of pink appeared on the tip of his ears.

''You're not even that old,..nerd'' Hiro stated quietly while bumping softly against the cardigan- clothed shoulder.

They both sat together as Callaghan went on talking now about electromagnetic compatibility.  
Tadashi and Hiro sat next to each other like they were glued together.

//Can you feel it...can you feel the soft skin... trough the clothes?..Can you feel the friction...?.....//

Hiro noticed how Tadashi clenched his hand around his own knee, like it was hurting.

''Dashi is everything alright?'' Hazel eyes met cinnamon eyes.

''Everything is fine...I just need to distract myself a little, I have a bit of a headache''  
Tadashi declared nervously, rubbing his head.

''Blame yourself~that comes from drinking irresponsibly too much alcohol~'' Hiro stated teasingly.

§...Strange coincidence...don't you think?~..§

 

''Hiro and Tadashi Hamada!!! I know you're both capable of going through this material without any help or advice, but would you kindly please stop disturbing the class?''  
Professor Callaghan's angry glare hit them with full force.

 

'' We're really sorry professor '' Tadashi and Hiro mumbled in unison, with heads bowed down in shame.

'' Very well..'' Callaghan said as he continued his lecture. A few students chuckled muffled behind the Hamada brothers, enjoying their evident scolding. Hiro had to restrain himself from, not showing them one particular hand sign with his middle finger. Restraining from such actions were never part of Hiro's positive attributes. And just as the younger Hamada was about to show them what they deserved, a big warm hand prevented him from doing so.

Tadashi shook his head slowly with eyes glued on the white board in front of them and a smile plastered on his face. Hiro understood but even so, he couldn't suppress an eye-rolling.

 

* ..Why does he always have to be so damn nice..?.*

§...When it's as clear as day that he wants to bash their faces in?....§ 

* It's almost invisible to the naked eye, but his smile is twitching slightly, like it's under high voltage.*

Tadashi slowly let go of Hiro's hand, breaking their contact softly.

 

//..Why did you do that? ~Especially just as you wanted to-// *..No!* Tadashi clenched his hand around the fabric of his trousers on his knee once again as he stubbornly kept staring at the white board.

§....~It would be nice if-§ *..No..* Hiro bit his lip as he turned his focus to the explanation of electromagnetism. 

 

They both paid attention to the rest of their lecture, but not one of them moved away from the warmth which their touching shoulders created. As the lecture ended, the Hamada brother's almost fled out of the classroom. Hiro was never so eager to get out of a classroom in his whole life. 

As Tadashi and Hiro went down the hallway, to the cafeteria in order to met the others, Hiro mentally braced himself.

'' Hey! If this isn't Mister Bro-con and his hairrrry babyyy~''

Fred giggled as he waved in their direction. Tadashi pulled his cap over his eyes. Hiro turned as red as his Iron-man shirt.

'' Please, cut it out Fred, this isn't nice'' Honey Lemon declared sternly.

'' Yeah! At least Tadashi wasn't the one running around, showing people the recyclability of his underwear!'' Wasabi mentioned grinning while he took a large bite of his sandwich.

Everyone at the table laughed.

''For real?'' Hiro asked as he took his seat next to Wasabi's. Tadashi suited himself right next to him and started to unpack their lunch.

''For real.'' Wasabi answered as he finished chewing.

'' Well my dear friend, at least I didn't make love declarations to a fucking indoor plant~'' 

Fred countered with an evil smile on his face.

'' Fred..'' 

The older Hamada simply said, slowly, with THE look. The mighty look of pure disappointment.

 

Fred gulped. ''Yeah..yeah. I know, no swearing. I'm sorry. Here '' The comic nerd handed Tadashi one dollar. The dollar disappeared wordlessly into the depths of Tadashi's swear envelope which he always dragged with him.

''You both missed quite a few interesting things after you left. But guess what? It was a wise decision'' Gogo announced as she massaged her head and took a sip from her orange juice. 

'' We four are banned from entering the Yellow Panda for the following three months.''  
Honey Lemon said, nervously playing with the apple slice in her hands.

'' Guys..I'm so -'' Tadashi started but Gogo interrupted him. '' No don't even say you're sorry Hamada''

''Yeah, mate'' Fred scratched his head. '' It was kinda our fault 'cause we went a bit overboard there'' Wasabi and Honey Lemon nodded in agreement. 

Tadashi relaxed visibly. 

 

* Always so caring...* Hiro thought fondly, before shaking his head, collecting his thoughts together as he suppressed a sudden yawn. He was tired.

'' So ...you said all four? What did Gogo and Honey Lemon do?'' The sixteen year old asked as innocently as possible. 

Tadashi cast his little brother a disapproving look.  
* What?* Hiro thought while shrugging his shoulders lightly, as if they led a wordless conversation.  
He was always immensely curious and if this curiosity kept him awake it was like a win-win-situation.

'' Well little dude..'' Fred started. '' As I was busy proclaiming the tidings of joy..and Wasabi started to give that indoor plant a marriage proposal....our Honey started to write her chemical equations on the bare light wooden polished desk..with her pink Sharpie ...and Gogo took two round bottles from the guests and started a championship on 'water bottle desk racing'...well you can guess the outcome...both bottles didn't survive her loving treatment'' Fred ended smiling.

Gogo looked out of the window next to them. Honey Lemon looked at the glass in front of her. A faint blush was covering her cheeks.

Tadashi and Hiro laughed softly.

*..He always makes such sweet sounds when he laughs..* Tadashi took a bite from his onigiri.

//..imagine what other sweet sounds he could make with his lovely little mouth~//  
The older Hamada nearly choked on his rice ball. Tadashi stood up and excused himself, before leaving the cafeteria. 

Though Hiro had the strong impulse to follow him, he continued to talk to their friends.  
It would be rather weird if he decided to follow his older brother to the restroom. He wasn't six years old anymore.

 

After everyone finished eating, the bell rang, indicating the next classes. Gogo, Wasabi and Honey Lemon had their own classes...and Fred...who knew what Fred was up to?

Hiro was lucky. He could still relax for another two hours. Tadashi and he had a free period.  
The younger Hamada made his way to the library as the students which passed him streaked him with their gaze, staring at him. Not every stare was friendly. Anger. Jealousy. Disbelief. Hiro was used to it. But even after two years they still couldn't get used to him. Hiro stubbornly kept smiling lightly, appearing as if it didn't bother him, as he made his way towards his salvation. Most of the students had their lectures, so his favorite couch in the corner would be available. He needed sleep. And he needed it right now.

Hiro stared in disbelief at the familiar broad chested figure. The figure which had made itself comfortable on HIS couch. *Tadashi why?* Hiro thought, with his shoulders tensing. 

It felt like his older brother was following him on purpose, making his life a living hell, but maybe he was also tired from yesterday? From what the guys had told him,Tadashi seemed to have drunken a respectable amount of alcohol at the Yellow Panda. His older brother's chest moved in a slow but steady rhythm. The younger Hamada felt the pull. Like something in his heart tugged him, lured him to come closer. Closer to his older sibling.

*But is it okay if I..? If I..? If I...only... ?* Hiro thought questioning. His thoughts were dispersing, drifting away. He just wanted to-but he couldn't if- §... Cut IT out !!!..§  
A voice shouted, piercing through his head, pressing a switch inside his brain.

* ..Yeah right. It doesn't matter....I just lay down and rest for a bit...*  
Hiro was far too tired for this shit. He didn't want to feel like that anymore.

Hiro moved closer to Tadashi and arranged himself into the small space between his older brother and the couch. It didn't matter to him what other students might think of him anymore. He just needed to rest. The voice in his head kept talking, slowly draining the last energy out of him. Unconsciously seeking the warmth, he snuggled himself closer to Tadashi's chest. His eyes closed automatically. He was out for good. And didn't notice a warm arm which was placed on his back to keep him from falling to the ground.

 

~~~~~~~  
Tadashi was awake the whole time, eyes closed in some sort of meditation. Collecting rights and wrongs. Sorting things out, clearing his mind. Purifying it from his devious brain. He wanted to stop it. Stop mixing this fox-masked boy and his little brother. It was scary, how they both seemed to fuse into the exactly same person, haunting down his sanity. It was wrong and painful. Tadashi couldn't risk it. Wouldn't risk to stupidly act on this raging feelings of his. 

Suddenly a familiar scent hit his nostrils as a familiar weight snuggled closer to his.  
The older Hamada's heart skipped a beat.

Yesterday, as he felt his brother's soft lips against each one of his ears, he wanted to hold him. And to never let him go. But Tadashi couldn't. He needed to keep himself under control. Especially when Hiro was around. He nearly bid his lip as how his little brother snuggled closer to his chest. He acted on instinct as he wrapped an arm around his little brother's back to keep him from falling and listened to his light snore.

Sweet torture. 

He could feel his warmth. His soft breath on his neck. The older Hamada felt a well-known heat pouring its way down to his lower regions.

*Concentrate Tadashi! Concentrate! Think of dead puppies! Old grandmothers!!! Old grandmothers flying on rocket boots while burning puppies with their laser eyes..*

* Burning puppies with their laser eyes?!*

*...Really? That's just sick..That's.. * Tadashi chuckled silently. Yeah, Hiro had indeed a bad influence on him, but in the right way. '' Dashi...'' For a moment Tadashi thought that Hiro was awake but it seemed like he was mumbling in his sleep. Mumbling his name. Fondness spread through the older Hamada. Hiro needed him. That's why Tadashi would never let him go. He would always be there for him. 

His instinct or his feelings didn't matter. All he needed Hiro for-was to be by his side. Everything will be alright. Everything will be fine. The heat around him released its choke-hold on him. Tadashi felt like a newly found freedom cursed through his mind.

The only thing which was left was a pleasant warmth. And peace.  
Peace which was disturbed by Fred who came stomping into the library.

Fred furrowed his eyebrows as he saw the Hamada brothers lying in front of him on the brown couch.  
He wondered why he'd never got fully accustomed to it. To the closeness, but well...losing your parents at such a young age...No wonder that they stuck together a lot closer than other siblings. Fred shrugged his shoulders as he made his way to the brothers with a trademark smile placed on his lips.

'' Aww...there you are guys! Well, well... aren't you just downright adorable?'' Fred cooed.  
The word ''shut up'' lay on Tadashi's tongue but he could not possibly say that because he'd have to put his own money into his swear envelope. Instead he smiled and put his finger in front of his face, signalizing that Hiro was still sleeping. 

Fred understood.

'' So, what brings you here?'' Tadashi whispered.  
'' I searched for our little dude here. His friend Akira is waiting outside the campus. He told me that he and Hiro wanted to meet up together on his free period'' Fred answered in a less noisy voice than before.

Tadashi froze internal for a second. But he collected himself quickly.

//No.//

'' I'm sorry but could you tell Akira that Hiro can't meet up with him today? Hiro doesn't feel very good and he has to rest a little because he suffered from a headache this morning.'' Tadashi mentioned with his most friendly smile while his insides were twisting painfully in his gut at the thought of Akira and Hiro together.

''Okay I'll tell him'' Fred stated smiling.  
'' Thanks Fred'' Tadashi whispered.

As Fred walked away, disappearing from view, the older Hamada started to caress Hiro's hair with his hand. His other hand pulled his little brother's lithe figure closer to his chest.

//Mine. Mine! Not Akira's!! Only mine. He doesn't deserve...doesn't deserve Hiro//

* No. Hiro is not my property! He just really needs his sleep. I'm fulfilling my duty as his older brother. Nothing more. Nothing less.*

Tadashi looked down to Hiro in his arms. His heart was beating loudly in his chest. A warm pleasant feeling washed over the older sibling. 

*He needs me.*

// But maybe you need him much more than he needs you....//

''.Ta.. dashi....'' The soft mumbling next to him, melted his heart like butter.

*Such an adorable knucklehead* Lovingly he brushed a strand of hair, away from Hiro's face.  
His younger sibling shifted a little. The fabric of his red iron-man shirt stretched, revealing a red mark in the process. 

Tadashi froze.

The mark stood up like a sore thumb, in stark contrast against Hiro's white creamy skin. It was a hickey.  
Tadashi's blood started to boil.

//Who? Who dared to lay their filthy hands on my innocent little brother?!!!//

The older Hamada's hands began to shake in anger. He took a deep breath and counted to ten. He needed to calm himself down. Immediately. Even though a suspicion started to spread in his head. //Akira....//

// ..somebody should just teach him some manners...rip his filthy tongue out of his disgusting face and set it into flames... tear every singly one of his dirty fingers from his body..... //

* NO!! what.. what is happening? Why? Why do I have such thoughts in my head? They don't belong here.*  
*I .. I could never hurt somebody ..I..*

Suddenly Tadashi felt suffocated. Like he was dragged under dark deep water and his demons were smiling at him with a red angry glint in their eyes. 

* I need to calm myself down..calm down... calm down...I-*

Tadashi slowly and carefully wriggled himself out of Hiro's embrace, while he fought internally a silent war. Hiro scrunched his face at the loss of contact and shivered. The older Hamada put his gray jacket on Hiro, hiding the red mark on his collarbone.

// ....Why don't you create a mark on of your own?..An even bigger one?..//

// Come on it's the perfect opportunity, isn't it?//

The ringing in Tadashi's head got louder. Painful even, luring him in, inviting him to succumb to his deepest fantasies, but the older Hamada continued to struggle.

His heart beat frantic against his chest as he caressed softly Hiro's left cheek, enjoying at the soft skin beneath his finger tips.

* Calm..down....Calm..down......CALM..DOWN...* 

''Dashi...'' Hiro mumbled faintly once again, leaning into the touch of his cheek, rubbing softly against the warmth. Tadashi ran towards the restroom, like a streak of lightening. There was no way he could restrain himself when Hiro was like THAT. //..too trusting...//

The older Hamada closed the door behind him and locked himself in one of the three cabins. Luckily, he seemed to be alone. And then..in the moment of relaxation.. it hit him with full force. Like a panic attack. 

* not..NORMAL..DISGUSTING... GROSS...my own little brother! No!! A hickey?!! I wanted to press a fucking hickey onto my little brother's neck?! WHY?! I can't hold any sick desires for my younger brother!!! It's gross!!!.... I didn't..didn't..*

//...But you already were ...imagining grinding up against him..kissing him hard..... and begging with your tongue to enter his sweet adorable mouth....you imagined him in place of the fox boy....., weren't you?//

That's it.

It was too much to take. Tadashi threw up, emptying his contents into toilet before him.  
Too much. It was too much for him to handle.

 

//..Aww..why did you do that?~ Hiro prepared this lovely breakfast on his own...you know?//

// Your precious baby brother stood in an apron in the kitchen...and- oh my..what a naughty big brother you are~ ...already imagining him, preparing food in ONLY his apron~~~//

* CUT IT OUT FOR GOD'S SAKE!! Leave me alone!!! *

// I can't. I Am you. I am the thoughts which you always decide to suppress// 

The older Hamada leaned his head against the toilet pan. The older Hamada gasped, breathless. He felt tears prickle in his eyes. Like acid. Burning. Itching.  
* No! I can't ..can't cry..I have to be strong! I HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE!! I can't let someone win over my mind...I-*

// But I am you..the part of you which you always try to hide~//  
//...the brutal..possessive..immoral part..//  
//...Maybe the current you isn't the natural you at all...//

//Maybe it's just a mask and I'm the REAL one. The real Tadashi Hamada~...//

It hurt. It hurt so much like somebody put his mind and soul into a meatgrinder, cutting and tearing, till there was nothing left. The older Hamada felt dark thoughts blending in with his own and he was too powerless...too powerless... * NO! I won't let this happen!!!*

* Control..control...I need CONTROL* Tadashi began helplessly to slam his hands down the cold floor of the restroom. He didn't even feel the pain. Like an invisible wall dulled his senses, numbing his central nervous system. The rhythmic sounds which his hands made by colliding with the hard tiled floor all over and over again, were hypnotizing, echoing through his brain.

Thud.

Thud. Thud.

Thud. 

Thud. Thud.

Thud.

Thud. Thud.

Thu-.

Red.

As Tadashi finally began to notice the red blood on his hands, he slowed down.

Finally realizing that the voice in his head disappeared.

Exhausted Tadashi leaned himself onto his back against the cabin door. A little sense of victory tingled in him. Slowly he got up to his feet and exited the cabin. As he washed his bloody hands in the washing basin, a sharp pain went though his skull, like a head-shot.

He inspected his knuckles. They looked horrible. Three capsules on his right hand were ripped and two on his left hand were torn.

* For Hiro..for my baby brother...for my most important person...*

* Everything...I'll be breaking every bone in this useless body..if I can keep him save this way*

* My precious little genius*

 

With clouded eyes, Tadashi carefully placed rough paper around his abused hands, wrapping it tightly around the wounds, the pain was already forgotten. He smiled at himself through the mirror. The smile seemed like a grotesque version of his normal gentle smile. And his eyes. His cinnamon eyes. They looked like the eyes of a person who desperately tried to keep the broken parts together by gluing them up by his sheer willpower.

* Now, everything will be alright* 

He thought while he went out of the restroom to wake his little brother for their next lecture.

* I have to make sure Hiro doesn't get late for class. I'm so proud of him. He will graduate and get his diploma at the young age of 16 years...*

With every step he took his patched up smile wavered and morphed automatically into his  
normal one. Thinking about Hiro seemed like a curse as well as a blessing at the same time. Even after everything which went wrong in Tadashi's brain, the older Hamada knew, in the end, even if his whole world started to crumble down, Hiro would always be his ray of hope, unintentional leading him down the right path.

Maybe he is also the reason why Tadashi could withstand this alluring voice for this long. He couldn't afford to lose his most important person.

Hiro was like morphine, lessening the pain. 

He was like sunshine on a cold and stormy day.  
He was his everything.

And he wouldn't allow anyone to take his precious baby brother away from him. 

Not even if this ''someone'' turned out to be himself.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WAIT!...please note:
> 
> *......* -> someone's thoughts  
> ''......'' -> somebody speaks  
> //..// ->Tadashi's other side
> 
> :D yay~ both comments & criticsm are very welcome^^
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Just another couple of hours to go....* Hiro thought, rubbing his tired eyes, while he made his way towards another lecture with Tadashi along his side. The younger Hamada noticed that his older brother kept his hands firmly in the pockets of his cardigan. 

 

*....Maybe he is feeling cold?...* The sixteen year old glanced worriedly to Tadashi's direction. The older Hamada registered his younger brother's stare and bestow him with a warm smile, even though his hands were itching and burning like somebody was slowly dragging razor blades against his knuckles. 

 

They entered the classroom and sat down on their favorite row. Some students were whispering and laughing behind their backs. Probably not at him, but Hiro still had an uneasy feeling in his gut. 

 

''Hiro...'' Tadashi whispered right next to him.  
''Don't worry knucklehead, once this lecture is over, we can get some ice-cream at the new ice-cream shop which opened a while ago in the close proximity to SFIT... And I've heard...they have ice-cream with gummy-bear-flavor...''

 

Hiro's eyes enlightened like a rising star.

 

The older Hamada had to keep himself from ruffling Hiro's fluffy hair. His baby brother was so adorable. Almost too adorable.

 

Another professor entered the mint-green painted classroom. This time it was a middle aged woman with short blonde hair and glasses. She was a newcomer who started to teach at SFIT a few months ago. Hiro liked her lectures. It was fun to see how she enjoyed talking about her subject. 

 

As the younger Hamada looked to Tadashi, he noticed that his older brother didn't make any notes which was strange. Normally, Tadashi would've already be writing his third paper after this amount of time.

 

'' Tadashi..are you alright? Why aren't you nerd taking any notes?''   
Hiro whispered beside him, leaning slightly against him. 

Their shoulders touched.

 

Both inhaled sharply, almost simultaneously, at the sudden contact, before they skidded a few centimeters away, still in very close proximity, but not dangerously close.

 

'' I already have notes about this topic at home'' Tadashi replied quietly, while the older Hamada nearly slapped himself mentally how smoothly the lie slipped from his lips. Something had changed. The twenty-three year old never lied to his little brother, but sometimes it was necessary. Like right know. How could he possibly explain his wounds without revealing too much information? Especially when those big radiant chocolate eyes stared up to him? And rosy lips were bit, in worry, revealing an achingly beautiful tooth-gap?

 

The older Hamada shook his head lightly and concentrated himself on the lecture, pressing his bruising knuckles deeper against the fabric of his cardigan-pockets.

 

Hiro glanced worriedly at him. Somehow he wasn't very convinced.

As the professor continued to talk about coordination mechanisms, the younger Hamada shook his head and focused his mind on the lecture. It was essential for his graduation after all. However, it still didn't stop him from occasionally let his eyes wander to his older brother's direction.

 

The school bell rang. The lecture ended. And most of the students stormed out of the classroom like they were followed by a wild grizzly-bear. It was interesting how slow and fast time could flow by. Sometimes time passed in the blink of an eye. And other times, it passed slowly. Very slowly. Like a long-dragged-out bubble gum. 

 

Hiro collected his material and took a closer look at Tadashi. In disbelief the younger Hamada noticed dark red stains forming out of the pockets of his brother's cardigan. A sudden fear cursed through his veins. Without hesitation, he grabbed Tadashi's arm and started to pull him out of their classroom, towards their lab.

 

'' Hiro..what?'' Tadashi tried to ask but Hiro shut him off

'' You. Me. Lab. Now'' He stated demanding as he kept pulling his brick of a brother towards their lab.

''Sit!'' Hiro ordered, pointing at the chair within Tadashi's reach.

Stunned, the older Hamada had no other choice than to sit down. 

 

'' Baymax activate code 77HMX983.'' 

Hiro stated as he looked at the red box which stood in front of the round window.

A symbol glowed in a white color before the red box opened.

'' Hello. I'm Baymax. Your personal healthcare companion. What can I do for you young master Hiro?'' Baymax asked as he finished inflating himself .

 

''Please scan Tadashi'' Hiro asked, with eyes focused on the dark red stains.

''Wait! Hiro no-'' The older Hamada tried to say.

'' Scan completed'' Baymax mentioned in his neutral voice.

'' Unbelievable'' Tadashi muttered. He felt like his own invention was mocking him.

 

'' My sensors discovered two injured areas, three heavily bruised capsules on the right hand and two on the left hand. I recommend antiseptic spray, cream against pain and a fresh bandage for both hands.'' Baymax declared.

 

'' Come on Tadashi! Pull you hands off of that damn cardigan!'' Hiro ordered.   
His eyes mirrored his fear. Fear for his big brother's well-being.

 

Reluctantly, with a defeated sign, the older Hamada pulled his hands out of his pockets.   
The blood seeped slowly through his makeshift paper bandage. Tadashi looked away. Away from his damaged hands. Away from the worried gaze of his brother and turned his attention to the wall. He didn't need to see how badly the damage was which he inflicted upon himself. 

 

Hiro was thunderstruck.

* How..how could I not notice that he was in pain?! The whole time?*

His hands. His warm big light brown caring hands, were painted with blood. The capsules must have burst. His older brother attempted to stop the bleeding with the rough paper from the restroom.

 

With shaking hands Hiro reached out for Tadashi and gently unwrapped the poor excuses of bandages on both of his hands. Some parts of the paper clung on Tadashi's flesh. Glued together by his blood.

Hiro took a deep breath. *Why?...How...how..did you manage to do something like that?...*  
He had so suppress tears which were prickling in his eyes. It hurt. It hurt seeing his brother in pain.

 

'' For a med student you have chosen a not very wise way to take care of your wounds.... nerd'' Hiro mumbled steadily, without a hitch in his breath, while he deliberately careful pulled the paper parts, out of the bloody skin. 

 

Tadashi somehow managed to not hiss in pain. He was concentrated on the caring movements of his younger brother's hands, which gently plucked the rough paper away. The older Hamada took guilty pleasure from feeling the soft silky skin of Hiro against his own bloody and bruised one.

 

''Baymax. Antiseptic now, please! '' Hiro ordered. Tadashi shuddered. He wasn't used to hear his little brother so demanding. Baymax made his way slowly towards Tadashi. Slightly he tilted his vinyl head to the side.

 

Tadashi offered Baymax his hands. The robot took each one of them carefully and sprayed the antiseptic on them. This time Tadashi couldn't suppress a hiss.

* If it hurts so much....then why did you do this?!* Hiro thought shaken, watching how Baymax put a greenish cream on Tadashi's hands and wrapped them gently in newly fresh bandages.

''Thanks Baymax. I'm satisfied with my care.'' Tadashi mentioned smiling nervously, waiting, bracing himself for Hiro's reaction.

'' Tadashi...why? How? How did you manage to do something like that'' Hiro asked with a shaking voice. 

'' I...Hiro I'm sorry but..but I..... I can't tell you'' Tadashi stated stuttering while trying to tear his eyes from the intense hazel one's of Hiro away, which were staring up to him, in a mixture of worry and disbelief.

''Tadashi.......'' Hiro said. Slowly.

Anger painted his face. 

 

'' You're such a jerk!!'' Hiro raised his voice, with hands clenching to fists.

'' Every time!! Every time when something happens to me... I have to tell you right away...you always care for me but when its my turn to care for you..you won't let me! WHY?!!''

''You are such an asshole!!'' Don't you realize that I care about you as much as you care about me?! Why won't you tell me what's wrong?! Did you get into a fight?! Are you afraid to tell me? Because of your perfect image as the calm and collected Tadashi Hamada?!!''

 

'' Hiro that's...that's not fair..I'm sorry but please....please let me be...''   
The older Hamada tried to calm Hiro down. He knew that his little brother cared about him but he also knew Hiro could never care as much about him, as Tadashi does that's why Hiro should never find out about the real reason behind his damaged hands.   
''Hiro..please...calm down..'' Without a second thought the older Hamada put his hands up, as a sign of reassurance. 

He forgot that he still got the bandages around his hands.

Therefore his action wasn't a very a wise choice. Hiro saw the bandaged hands and saw red.  
Anger pumped through his mind, fueling the rage within.

 

'' NO!!! I want an answer!! And I WANT it now!!''   
Hiro shouted not caring about the possibility of anyone hearing them.

 

Something in Tadashi clicked.

'' Fine. But if you want an answer, you've got to tell me first, who placed this lovely little hickey on your collarbone'' Tadashi said monotonous. 

Hiro's face went from angry red to embarrassed red.

'' How?..How did you find- wait! That's none of your business!!'' Hiro claimed loudly with arms crossed in front of him, in defiance.

Tadashi felt like somebody plunged a knife deep into his chest.

* ...Not my business.*

*.....Not my business?*

*...... Not my business?!!..*

An overwhelming flame tornado spread wildly through Tadashi's chest.

'' WELL THEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO STUCK YOUR NOSE INTO MY BUSINESS AS WELL!''  
Tadashi shouted. 

And regretted he it right away.

 

Hiro looked like he had been slapped, a pained expression formed on his beautiful face.   
Deep sorrow spread through his light eyes and turned them dull. Colorless. Lifeless.  
His lithe figure was trembling. 

 

Tadashi finally came to his senses. The fire finally cooled down, leaving a dusty desert behind. After realizing what he'd done, he made a step towards Hiro. Guilt already drawn in the eyes of the older Hamada. He'd have to make it up. He didn't mean it. He didn't mean what he said.

'' Hiro..I'm...I'm....'' He tried to say and he flinched as he saw how his younger sibling took a step back. Away from him. Tears were gently running down Hiro's cheeks. And it was his fault. He made his little brother cry. His precious baby brother. Tadashi's whole being ached at the sight. As he wanted to come closer but he feared Hiro's reaction. He didn't want to make the matters worse.

 

'' FINE!!'' Hiro screamed suddenly. 

'' THAT WAY I WON'T HAVE TO JUSTIFY MYSELF IN FRONT OF YOU EVER AGAIN!!''  
'' AND I'M FINALLY FREE FROM YOUR PATHETIC SUFFOCATING CONTROL URGES!!'' He shouted while he ran out of the lab. And out of the building. With tears in his eyes. 

Tadashi stood there silently and stared at the spot which Hiro left a few seconds ago.

This was their first argument.

They never argued before.

* ..Pathetic...* 

* ....Suffocating...* 

*........ Control urges...*

Is that how Hiro always viewed him? 

How he viewed his attempts to keep him safe and sound?

Tadashi tried to lean on a chair for support but he only leaned on air. His hand grasping emptiness. With a thud he landed on the floor. It was painful. However, he didn't bother to stand up again. His mind was still progressing what just had happened. Realization slowly dawned to him and as it arrived, it hit Tadashi like a truck.

He went to far.

And as a result his little brother finally realized that he didn't need him anymore.

//...You should have just told him....// A sly voice in his head mentioned.

Tadashi shook the voice off.

''Tadashi? Is everything alright?'' Honey Lemon bent over him and looked at him with worry in her eyes. The older Hamada didn't even registered how she took a step into their lab.

'' Yeah..Hiro and I just got into a little argument'' He mentioned with a false smile on his lips. He got up, carefully, hiding his bandaged hands beneath his pockets and kept the dry red blood hidden. He didn't want to explain his wounds to Honey Lemon and even if he did- how would it sound?

 

Probably like ..''I slammed my hands repeatedly down the floor in order to win against this voice in my head, which tells me to devour my little brother, to lay my hands onto his gorgeous body and to never let him go.... And sometimes I have the uncontrollable urge to rip tongues out of mouths and to tear fingers from hands.''

Yeah.. Her eyes would most certainly shine in understanding. And then she would tell all the others. His aunt, his friends and his neighbors. Just everyone in his environment. And as a result people would put him in a nice white room with an even nicer jacket, which will prevent him from moving his arms. Or maybe they would put him into jail for thinking about touching his younger brother, who is a minor. And his brother.   
Tadashi shook his head. Either thought was painful. And not because of his restricted freedom, hell no, but because he would never be allowed to see his brother again.

 

''Tadashi...?'' Honey Lemon asked carefully.

'' I'm not feeling well Honey'' He said truthfully whilst smiling weakly at the tall girl.  
'' Could you please tell the others that I went home? I have a massive headache''   
The older Hamada mentioned, keeping that smile glued to his face.

Honey Lemon nodded. 

She probably heard parts of their argument and thought that he was still upset about their dispute. Well she was right..but he wasn't just upset. He was utterly devastated. 

As he made his way through the halls of the university, he could feel the stares of some students, burning laser holes into his body, with a gleeful expression in their eyes. 

It felt like they've also heard about the argument.

'' Well ...seems like we have problems in the paradise?'' Some whispered wickedly and laughed as he passed them by.

It took all of Tadashi's willpower not to run to the students and to slam their faces into the lockers right next to them. Repeatedly. And hard. Till their gleefulness was wiped from their faces and replaced by bloody unrecognizability. He wanted scream. He wanted to hit somebody in the face. Wanted to rampage through the whole SFIT building. 

But he couldn't.  
Something still kept him grounded.

He could still feel the smile which was plastered across his own face. It reminded him of the person who he wanted to be, but failed to be. 

His smile felt like it was stitched to his face. The older Hamada wanted to scratch the stitches away. Wanted to pull his smile off like an uncomfortable and unwanted rough article of clothing. But it stayed. Stayed glued to his face. 

 

As he stepped out of the institute, he could hear an conversation between two students who were standing near the banister.

''Did you see the little Hamada running off a few moments ago? He was crying like a little baby. Pathetic, isn't he?'' One male students said snickering to the other.

'' Yes, he is. I feel downright ashamed that our university accepts weird freaks like him.   
Even though they say he is some kind of genius..I mean really?..Him?'' His friend agreed laughing gleefully.

 

Something in Tadashi snapped.

 

With steady foot steps, he appeared before the students. They were as tall as him but it didn't matter to him.

''Excuse me, I would like to discuss something with both of you. Would you kindly follow me?''  
The older Hamada mentioned, smiling gently.

The student with blonde hair flinched slightly after seeing Tadashi, but then his expression turned wicked once again.

''Aww...you want to give us a lesson for speaking bad about your baby bro~?''   
The blonde one stated smirking. His brown-haired friend laughed beside him.

''Yes, something like that'' Tadashi said, still smiling as he made his way to the corner of the modern building. A corner where nobody could see them.

 

''Hey...don't you think this is to risky?'' The brown-haired whispered to the blonde one.  
'' Hell no. I've heard that the big Hamada is such a wimp, he couldn't even hurt a fly.''   
The blonde one whispered confidently back.

Tadashi could hear everything. His fists shook in anticipation.

 

They finally arrived.

''Well...well..you can start your pathetic lecture'' The blonde one stated, dropping his backpack to the ground, cracking with his knuckles. His friend followed his example.

 

''Well..if you insist...'' The older Hamada's soft and gentle smile turned sharp and dangerous like a blade. His eyes were overshadowed with darkness. Like somebody switched the light off. With inhuman speed, Tadashi's right fist collided with the face of the blonde student. An audible sound of a broken nose resonated through the corner. With a yelp, the blonde student fell to his knees, holding onto his bloody fractured organ. His friend ran towards the older Hamada in order to get revenge, but Tadashi was faster. Much faster.

 

Tadashi's eyes remained emotionless as he kicked the brown-haired student to the ground. And started to slam his left foot down to his stomach. Again. Again. And again.  
He felt ribs cracking beneath the soles of his sneakers. Organs wanting to be crushed by his feet. The brown-haired on the ground screamed in agony.

''No!..No! Please let me go!'' The brown-haired student screamed as Tadashi slammed his foot down again.

'I'm sorry, but what did you say again about my little brother?'' Tadashi stated coldly.

The brown-haired whined holding onto his stomach, with tears in his eyes.

''What was it again, what you said about him...?''

''..Pathetic?..'' He slammed his foot down.

''...Crying.....'' He slammed his foot down.

''....like...'' He slammed his foot down.

'' ..a..little...'' He slammed his foot down.

''... baby?..'' With the last punch he catapulted the student into unconsciousness.   
His blood painted the green grass with a sickening red color.

 

Tadashi turned his head to the direction of the blonde student who stared at him in shock, his whole figure trembled in fear. He was still on his knees, holding his broken nose.

Slowly the older Hamada made his way to the student. As fast as lightening Tadashi dragged him to his feet and stared at him with his dark eyes. His razor-blade smile stretched wider as he began to punch him with one hand whilst his other hand prevented the student from falling to the ground.

''I'm-...I'm...sorry...please..'' The brown-haired student coughed weakly, blood dropped down his mouth.

 

'' You both won't say anything negative about my precious little brother again..AM I CLEAR?!''

Tadashi stared at the student with loathing.

''Yes.'' The student replied anxiously.

 

''...Good''

With a hard smack, Tadashi sent him to the ground, causing him to lose his consciousness.  
The older Hamada wiped his hands clean and made his way towards his moped, carefully, without attracting attention. Suddenly something inside his brain clicked, causing him to lose his balance. He leaned onto his moped for support. 

The anger was washed away.

*..What ..what did I just do...?* Puzzled he looked down onto his hands. They were trembling. He imagined blood dripping down his hands. Blood which wasn't even his own.

Before he could start to panic, a sharp sound resonated through his brain. The sound lulled him in, made him forget. And turned the time, back to the moment before he heard the conversation between the two students.

Disoriented. 

Tadashi felt like a music recorder, which was stuck in an endless replay.  
And this replay repeatedly poured Hiro's words into his brain like unbearably sickly hot fluid iron.

* *..And I'm finally free from your pathetic suffocating control urges.. pathetic suffocating control urges... pathetic suffocating control urges..-* *

 

And it went on and on in his head, turned his senses numb. The older Hamada felt devastated. He felt like he was hit by a brick. Over and over again.

 

As he started the engine of his moped and drove through the streets of San Fransokyo, his itching smile finally started to waver. After a while it disappeared. Leaving the shell of a broken individual behind.

He didn't want to return to the Lucky Cat Cafe. Hiro was probably there.  
Looking at him with his gold-brown eyes of his. Eyes filled with hurt, sadness and anger. 

//....What do you think.....how would his eyes look like ....if he knew about your dirty little secret?~....//

Tadashi shuddered. Goosebumps spreading down his arms as he imagined the eyes of his beloved baby brother filled with disgust and loathing. He wouldn't want to go near Tadashi ever again. He would hate him. Despise him.

The older Hamada felt a sudden cold wetness pouring down his cheek. First he thought it was a tear but than the moisture hit him in other places as well. 

*Rain.* He thought.

A few seconds passed and he was completely drenched in the rain water.

* I hope Hiro is alright. If he went out in a cold weather like this..he will certainly catch a cold. His body still reacts sensitively to cold weather..* Tadashi thought worriedly.

// Yeah..just think about the way he would look..all dripping wet...//

Tadashi shivered. 

And then his face paled. He increased his grip on his moped. Sore bloody knuckles, brushing against tightly bound bandages.

The twenty-three year old drove to the old part of San Fransokyo. 

 

He just wanted to get as much distance between him and Hiro as possible.  
Tadashi felt torn. The words of Hiro where still echoing in his head.   
* *...Finally free... Finally free...** Hiro had said. The words were like evil poltergeists which shattered everything what they could get in their hands. Trashing and throwing, laughing. Mockingly slowly, they tore Tadashi apart. Bit by bit. Piece by piece. Till there was nothing left.

Hollowed out, he parked his moped near the cemetery. Near the place in which his and Hiro's parents were buried. The sky was gray and the wind blew violently through the trees.   
The rain was still falling down on him, but thanks to his cap, his head stayed dry. 

The cap which Hiro bought him as a present. //...Hiro...//

Emotionally exhausted and with wobbling legs Tadashi made his way to their graves.   
As he found them, he collapsed slowly in front of the two tombstones.

'' I'm sorry..I'm sorry..I'm sorry..I'm sorry..'' He muttered repeatedly against the moist earth.

The tombstones seemed to look at him disapprovingly.

//...Whatever... you're doing..... it's useless..//

// You can't do penance... unless you committed a sin//

Tadashi ignored the voice and kept apologizing to his dead parents. Apologizing for his disturbing behavior..for his filthy fantasies..and for his failure to be the perfect big brother which his little genius deserved.

 

After their deaths, he promised them, to be always there for Hiro and to take care of him. To teach him about right and wrong, to help him in need. To keep him from harm and danger.  
But now, he seemed to be the danger, which shouldn't be allowed to go near his brother. 

 

Tired...Tadashi was so tired. 

The rain lulled him to sleep. 

He wasn't feeling cold anymore, he just wanted to rest.

Exhaustively, he closed his eyes.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WAIT!...please note:
> 
> *......* -> someone's thoughts  
> ''......'' -> somebody speaks  
> \---- _> indicating the 'bad guys'  
> §....§ ->Hiro's other side  
> //...//->Tadashi's other side
> 
> :D yay~ comments and criticism are very welcome here~
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

''There...there....'' Akira patted Hiro softly on his back as the younger Hamada cried in his arms. The red haired suppressed a grin. Of course, he wasn't happy that Hiro was in such a state of agony, however, having the sixteen year old in his arms like that surely had his positive aspects. The eighteen year old shuddered as he felt a lithe body, pressing closer to him, weeping against his favorite black shirt.

 

''I..I've only wanted..to..to help..him..but I-I said such terrible things to him''  
Hiro sobbed against his shoulder. '' I..I didn't mean them...but he- but he....''  
The younger Hamada started to sob louder, crying a little river, while his body shook with each breath he took. Akira continued to pat his back and kept muttering '' There...there...''

 

Somehow the small gesture alone as well as the choice of words somehow reminded Hiro much more of Tadashi and he started to cry louder. Wailing in his misery. If he'd only stop himself from saying such awful things to his older brother, none of this would've happened.... If he'd only shut his mouth and listened to his older brother's request...they would be eating ice-cream by now..and laughing, smiling at each other while they would talk about robotics.

 

After another couple of heart-wrenching sobs, Hiro finally calmed down. Embarrassed, he released his grip off Akira, after he realized how miserably he must look right now. Hesitantly, the younger Hamada smiled at his friend, apologetically, after seeing the wet spot on Akira's black shirt. 

 

The red haired looked at the adorable tooth gap, which Hiro unconsciously put on display, and he smiled back. * How cute...and soon mine..* The punk thought, withstanding the impulse to pull the younger Hamada closer to his chest.

 

'' Thank you..for ..you know..not making this unnecessarily awkward..I know I'm such a big baby sometimes..'' Hiro stated weakly with eyes puffy from all the crying. His hand wiped persistently the last teardrops away.

 

'' Don't worry...'' Akira mentioned reassuringly. '' Do you want a cup of my good old hot chocolate? Of course, you want one! Hot chocolate for the win!!~''

'' Hot chocolate can save lives! I guarantee!! Wait a minute. I'll be right back''  
The red haired punk almost ran towards the kitchen, knocking a chair down in the process.

 

Hiro stifled a laugh.

 

As his friend vanished from his view, Hiro took his cellphone out of his pocket and wrote a small message to aunt Cass, telling her that he was at Akira's house, telling her everything was fine.

 

§...But is it?...§

§.... Is everything 'fine'?...§

 

A voice in his head questioned as he began to hear the patter of raindrops against the window to his right. The raindrops increased, multiplied in quantity and soon it started to rain. The younger Hamada hoped, his older brother was alright. Hopefully, he already went home. Driving on a moped in such a weather, certainly couldn't be good for one's health. 

 

Somehow Hiro couldn't shake this lingering feeling of guilt off, he still remembered how Tadashi looked at him as he told him those hateful words. Like every word seemed to hit him, like a brick. But Hiro angry. He was so angry at him, because Tadashi decided to close himself off...to put a distant between himself and Hiro.

 

§....Big brother should always stay by my side...§

§...always......because we belong together....§

 

The voice spoke inside his head once again.

Hiro shuddered, because he nodded, consciously agreeing, letting the thought spread in his head, as he put his arms around his knees and watched how the raindrops gently fell down the window.

 

''Here. '' Akira suddenly appeared beside him and handed him a hot cup of deliciously smelling chocolate.

 

''Thanks'' Hiro told him as he took the hot cup in his hands. He gazed at the steam, which moved in smoothly in the air.

 

Akira wrapped a blanket around his shoulders and switched the television with his remote on. Together, they watched a movie called 'Pirates of the Caribbean'. After a few moments, the eighteen year old, casually slung an arm around Hiro's shoulder, pulling him closer.

 

The younger Hamada tensed. 

 

§...Hands...... off...§

 

But he didn't want to hurt Akira's feelings, so he didn't say anything about the arm around his shoulder, which held him caged.

 

'' Johnny Depp is my favorite jam'' His friend announced grinning, eyes focused on the screen. ''Did you just see, how cool he stood on this sinking boat? When I was little, I've always dreamed about being a pirate.'' Akira added, smiling.

 

They continued to watch the movie. Captain Jack Sparrow just used Elisabeth, the daughter of the governor, as a hostage in order to escape from the soldiers. 

§..A hostage..just how you're feeling right now, aren't you?...§ 

Hiro drank his cup of chocolate in short sips . 

*No. Akira is just friend. A caring friend* 

§....§

§..A caring friend.... who creepily keeps drawing small circles on your back?..§ 

§..Really?....§

Despite the sweetness of his cup of chocolate, a bitter aftertaste crawled into Hiro's mouth. 

 

Every now and then Akira made some puns about the movie. Hiro occasionally laughed at his puns and nodded along. The younger Hamada didn't want to reveal that his thoughts weren't revolving around the movie at all. Surely, it was fun to watch. And Captain Jack Sparrow was one hell of a captain...but Hiro's thoughts kept circling about one certain guy with a cap and a stupidly gentle smile on his face. 

*Tadashi....*

Hiro was in deep thoughts as the melody of ''Immortals'' by Fallout Boy filled the room.  
The younger Hamada gladly picked it up. Somehow... he wasn't feeling comfortable around Akira today. Perhaps it was his imagination but the hand which was lying on his back, seemed to slide down further and further, during the course of the movie. The younger Hamada looked at the ID number and was almost thankful as he saw that aunt Cass was calling.

 

He unwrapped himself from the blanket and pointed apologetically at his cellphone as he typed on the screen and went to the corridor. Akira looked at him, somewhat longingly but with a little portion of annoyance, sparkling in his eyes. The eighteen year old hated to be interrupted. Especially when he was so close.

* Who dares to cut off my precious time with Hiro?* Akira thought annoyed, but he kept his feelings inside and plastered a look of understanding on his face.

 

Hiro leaned against the wall, pressed his cellphone to his ear as the voice of his aunt sounded in his head.

''Hiro is everything alright? Do you know where Tadashi might be?''

''I just called his friends from SFIT and they told me, he already went home two hours ago....''

''I tried to call him but he didn't pick up his phone. And we both know that Tadashi always picks up his cellphone...''

''Oh ..Hiro ..I'm really worried..and Honey Lemon even mentioned Tadashi got into a fight.. she didn't gave me any details...but I..I...I-'' Aunt Cass stuttered worriedly. 

 

''Aunt Cass.. deep breaths. Take deep breaths. Listen to me: Everything will be fine.'' 

Hiro said in order to calm his aunt down while his own mind was on fire. 

* ....Oh..no....NO...Where could he went?! Especially in this weather ?!!....*

 

'' I'll go search for him. We will be back in roughly an hour. Don't worry aunt Cass'' 

Hiro mentioned as he pressed the red button, ending the call. Hurriedly, he stormed into Akira's room and grabbed his stuff.

 

''Hiro what ha-'' Akira wanted to say but Hiro interrupted him. ''I'm sorry. I have to go. Family problems. Thanks for your help. Bye Akira!''. Not thinking about the stormy weather, the sixteen year old rushed out of the house and left a very confused red haired boy behind. 

 

Akira's confusion turned to disappointment and after a while, a grim expression appeared on his face and he clenched his hands to fists.

*... Certainly this is somehow connected to this mighty big brother of his...*

The eighteen year old gritted his teeth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
As Hiro left the house, a wall of cold rain hit him, like a enormous flyswatter. And he was the fly. The small powerless, helpless insect, trying to stand his ground against the storm.  
Everything was gray and blurry. The rain clung to his skin, completely drenching him.  
His chest ached, but he continued to run. To run towards his loved one, with thoughts circling through his head, like angry bees. They kept buzzing in his mind. 

 

Suddenly it him like a rocket train. 

* ...The cemetery...He could be at the cemetery...* 

They went there every once in a year and left flowers for their parents.

 

§....What do you think.... would your parents say~.... if they knew that you have a crush on your....big brother?~...§

§.... What would they say.... if they knew...... how you keep imagining~.......his lips~ ......against your own?~..They would be turning in their graves...§

A malevolent voice snickered in his head. However, Hiro swatted it away.

 

His feelings weren't important. Not yet. Not now. Important was Tadashi's safety and his well-being. Everything else didn't matter. Never did actually. Hiro ran through rainy San Fransokyo, like he was chased by the devil himself. Faster. He need to be faster. Much faster.  
Plunged in this stormy gray, the city seemed to lose all its magic touch. And it became like any other ordinary city which was graced with shitty weather. 

*..Shitty...there goes another dollar for the swear envelope..* 

Hiro thought breathlessly as he cut corners on his way through the streets. The rain whipped merciless against his lithe form, like a slave driver, almost knocking him off his feet.

 

It was getting dark and he was getting tired. But he kept going. Kept running, with tiny needles  
piercing through his lunges. After a seemingly endless amount of minutes, Hiro finally arrived and was greeted by the sign 'San Fransokyo Cemetery' . A dark green moped was parked nearby at the deserted parking lot.

 

*Bull's eye!* Hiro thought relieved, a smile spread slowly on his face. 

 

Tadashi was there. He was definitely there.

 

The sixteen year old made his way hurriedly through the graveyard. Following the petrified path, passing different tombstones, as he suddenly slipped and fell to the ground. Pain exploded beneath his knee, but he got up quickly and ran. Ran, without even paying attention to the red blood which dripped down his knee. Slightly limping, he rushed his way towards the direction of the graves which belonged to their dead parents. 

 

A little beautiful cherry blossom tree came into his view. Practically shining in the gray darkness. Tadashi planted it right next to their parents' graves, six years ago.  
''For our parents..'' He had whispered quietly that day, with his usual gentle smile on his lips.

 

As Hiro came nearer, he saw a familiar figure laying in the moist earth. Right in front of the two Hamada tombstones. A cap rested next to the cardigan-clothed body.

Hiro was thunderstruck. * No....*

 

''Tadashi?!! '' The younger Hamada screamed as he darted towards Tadashi's unmoving body. It seemed lifeless. So lifeless. Panic grasped the heart of the younger Hamada. Trembling, he kneeled down before the broad chested body. His hands touched deliberately the soaked face of his older brother. Stroking the raindrops away, which seemed like teardrops. Tadashi looked like he was sleeping. Although, it didn't appear to be a peaceful sleep.

''Tadashi!''

''Tadashi!!''

Hiro shouted as he started to jolt his older brother awake, trying to get rid of this nightmare, in which he seemed to be stuck. He continued to shake Tadashi by his shoulders. His fingers clung desperately to the damp fabric of Tadashi's cloth as he carried on. Not stopping.

 

But Tadashi remained motionless. 

 

Quickly Hiro pressed his right ear onto his older brother's chest. He heard a heartbeat.  
A heartbeat, beating almost too faintly against the broad chest.

*No..No..NO..*

In despair Hiro shook his older brother harder. His fingers, clinging so frantically, the younger almost felt the bones beneath the muscles, under his own clutching finger tips.

''Tadashi!.....'' 

'' TADASHI!!''

'' Wake up!'' 

'' Wake up you dumb ass!!''

'' You nerd!''

'' Don't you dare to fucking leave me!!''

'' WAKE UP!!!'' 

Hiro shouted as he kept trying to wake his older brother up.

 

Apart from all his efforts, Tadashi remained motionless.

 

Something clicked in Hiro's head. He snapped. His right hand collided with his older brother's face. The sound echoed through the cemetery. A red hand print appeared slowly on Tadashi's left cheek.

''DON'T LEAVE ME!!'' 

Hiro screamed at the top of his lungs. 

''DON'T YOU DARE!!''

''I'M SORRY!''

'' OKAY?!''

'' PLEASE!!!''

'' I NEED YOU!!!''

 

Tadashi's body made not a single movement.

 

''Please...'' Hiro sobbed as he broke down, falling onto his older brother, like a puppet whose strings were cut. His hands were still shaking as they clutched themselves around the fabric once again, pressing his face closer against the drenched, broad chest.

 

The younger Hamada felt like all of his his energy was drained out of him. Whimpering, he leaned his head on Tadashi's chest. The rain still kept falling mercilessly onto the two figures and wind howled, screaming, as if he accompanied Hiro's pain.

 

''I need you..'' Hiro stated weakly, feeling how his own eyes closed.

...

 

Dup-dup......dup-dup....

.....Dup-dup......dup-dup....

Dup-dup......dup-dup.... 

Dup-dup......dup-dup.... 

 

The heartbeat. Tadashi's heartbeat! Hiro felt how his older brother's heartbeat increased and went faster.

 

''Ta..Tadashi..? Hiro whispered, voice sore from all the screaming.

 

'' Knucklehead....nice punch'' A deep hoarse voice replied. Hiro felt a big bandaged hand on his cheek, stroking his skin gently with his thumb. Hiro automatically leaned into the touch.  
The rain was still falling down on them but it didn't matter anymore.

 

Tadashi was awake. And alive.

 

Hiro suddenly remembered. Remembered all those awful words which he said. The younger Hamada straightened himself, taking the bandaged hand of his older brother into his own, smaller hands.

''I'm sorry...I..Dashi....I didn't mean any word which I said..I..was..I was...just worried about you..I ..I won't even ask such things ever again..I'm sorry...'' Hiro said as tears filled the corner of his eyes. 

 

He felt a warm hands around his back, pulling him closer to a drenched cardigan clothed chest. Warm cinnamon eyes stared up to him lovingly, before a hand caressed his wet hair fondly.

 

''Hiro...you shouldn't be the one apologizing..I am the one who screamed at you... Hiro..I'm sorry..I think... I can't be the kind of big brother which you deserve....I'm a failure...''  
Tadashi declared, his voice cracking at the end of the sentence.

 

Hiro wriggled himself out of Tadashi's embrace. With a pang in his heart, Tadashi looked at him. His little brother. His precious baby brother.

* Now... he will agree..* Tadashi thought, already missing the warmth, radiating from his brother's wet skin against his own.

 

'' You're not.''

'' You're not a failure.'' Hiro announced, his eyes filled with earnestly, as he outstretched his hand for Tadashi to grab.

'' Come on we gotta recline your body into a sitting position.''

 

Hesitantly, Tadashi grabbed the offered creamy colored hand and supported Hiro's attempts with his other hand. Slowly his back was pulled from the ground. The older Hamada felt how the moist earth clung to him.

 

As he was sitting, Hiro wrapped his arms around Tadashi.

 

'' Listen nerd..you are not a failure. And you know why? Because you are the most important person in the world for me. ...Besides aunt Cass and Mochi..Got it?''

''I love you...even without your constant striving to be the perfect big brother for me.''

'' You've been always there for me. You're always by my side and help me...''

''After our parents died...after they crashed in that car.....you've taken the whole responsibility on your shoulders....shouldering all the pain..and the sadness...on top of all that you've got a weird little bother on your hand's who only keeps getting into trouble...''

''It's me who doesn't deserve you.....I don't deserve to be your little brother...'' 

Hiro whispered in Tadashi's ear.

 

''Guess we're both kind of idiots then, aren't we ?'' Tadashi stated smiling, hugging Hiro, pressing him closer to his chest, not caring about the cold wetness and dirt of his clothes.

'' ...I love you, too '' Tadashi muttered against Hiro's wet hair. * More than you can ever imagine *

Hiro hid his flushed face behind the crook of his older brother's damp neck, enjoying the fragrance of lemons and mint, coming from his skin.

 

§..Too much...§

 

//..Too close..//

 

On a sudden impulse Tadashi took Hiro's face in his hands. Big gorgeous chocolate eyes were gazing upon him. The older Hamada could stare into them forever.

//..Come..on....come..on~..just one little kiss...~//

//....just one little kiss...//

 

Before Tadashi could take action and press his lips onto the one's of his younger sibling, Hiro leaned closer, his mouth was slightly open, revealing his adorable tooth-gap. His eyes were dreamily focused on the lips of his older brother. His cheeks were flushed as he lied his own hands on Tadashi's face, drawing him near.

 

The older Hamada gulped, feeling the silky skin against his rough. His heartbeat resonated in his ears in an unstable rhythm. They could fell each others breath on their lips.

 

§...just one little kiss...Hiro...only one little kiss....§

 

Their foreheads and noses were touching. Tadashi's breath hitched, his heart skipped a beat.

 

//..He wants..you too~...don't you see?....Come..one~....claim him as yours~...//

 

Hiro smiled innocently at his older brother, as he closed his eyes and started to rub his nose softly against Tadashi's in an Eskimo kiss.

 

This small gesture sent the twenty-three year old back to reality. Hiro did this often when he was little child. With this gesture, he always comforted Tadashi when his smile began to waver and depression wanted to take hold of him. Mostly his little brother showed him this gesture, just after the car accident of their parents. 

It had been raining on that day, too.

 

Tadashi signed guiltily as looked at the long lashes of Hiro, a few raindrops got entangled in them, making them glitter. The older Hamada bit his lip. Beautiful. Hiro looked downright beautiful at his moment, like he was from a different universe. So strong and yet so fragile at the same time.. The older Hamada bumped softly his nose against his little brother's, and took pleasure from one simple touch. A peaceful calmness washed through his mind. A calmness which dragged his mind away from his filthy thoughts.

 

*That's right* Tadashi thought, with determination flowing through his veins. 

* I can't lose sight of what's important..I just can't..* 

 

Hiro opened his eyes, his smile stretched to a grin, as he pinched Tadashi in his left cheek, making his older brother cringe.

 

''Hirrooo...'' Tadashi wanted to pinch him back, but Hiro dodged him with ease. As the sixteen year old held his older brother's hands, he slowly stood up, signalizing his sibling to do the same.

 

''Come on nerd...aunt Cass is waiting...'' He declared as he helped Tadashi to get on his feet.

 

The older Hamada saw his cap lying on the moist earth, without a second thought he grabbed it and put it on his head. Fluid dirt made its way down his ears to his neck. As his younger brother looked at him, he burst into laughter, his whole body shook so much, he had to hold his stomach.

 

'' ..Ha..ha..Ha..Ha..You..you-ha- look totally like..ha..some kind of a sea monster right now!..''

 

''....'' With a fast movement Tadashi collected one good portion of moist earth in his hand and threw it at his brother's direction. The dirt hit Hiro right on his head, trailing down his nose and his neck.

 

''..Look..-Ha..ha-..who. is the sea monster now?..Ha..ha-'' This time it was Tadashi's turn to laugh.

 

''Very mature..Tadashi...very..mature...'' With a glint in his eyes, Hiro grabbed his own portion of dirt in his hands and darted towards his older brother with a war cry on his lips, as a sudden pain exploded beneath his knee, causing him to lose his balance. With a loud thud Hiro collided with his older brother. On instinct, the older Hamada wrapped his arms around his younger brother as they both landed on the moist earth.

 

Hiro winced in pain. ''I'm sorry Tadashi..seems like I've... hurt my leg...'' He stated grimacing against the twenty-three year old's neck.

 

Tadashi stroked Hiro's hair. '' Don't worry...I've got you...Hiro..can you stand up?''  
Worriedly he glanced up, to his younger brother. Hiro nodded lightly. 

 

Slowly he straightened himself up and flinched.

 

§...it would be so easy to press a little harder down onto him~...§

 

A shiver ran down Hiro's spine.

 

''Hiro?! Are you hurting?'' Unconsciously Tadashi placed his hands down on Hiro's hips, stabilizing him.

 

''..No..'' The younger Hamada claimed weakly as he tried not to think about the way he is sitting on his older brother's crotch.

 

//..Aww...gripping his hips like that~...you certainly want him to ride you..don't you?~..//

//..just imagine...him ..screaming your name..with pleasure drawn all over his pretty face..~//

//..Screaming with lewd voice for his big brother..//

 

Tadashi shuddered, before the sudden spark of fire could even think about wandering to his lower regions, he quickly got up and placed Hiro to the ground next to him. With a swift movement he kneeled down before his brother.

 

''Hold onto me'' He ordered Hiro, as he grabbed him by his thighs and slung them around his middle, while he tried not to thing about the way how the silky skin beneath the fabric of the trousers would feel against his finger tips.

 

Hiro suppressed a yelp. A blush blossomed on his face and he was glad that his older brother couldn't see his face. With deliberately movements, he pressed his front closer to his brother's offered back and slung his arms around his shoulders.

 

''Ready?'' Tadashi asked.

 

''Ready.'' Hiro replied.

 

The rain finally stopped. Hiro snuggled himself closer to Tadashi as his older brother carried him. They passed different tombstones on their way and it was slowly getting darker. It was almost pitch black as they arrived at the parking lot. Tadashi placed Hiro onto his moped and waited for the familiar arms of the sixteen year old boy, to wrap around his chest, before he started the engine.

 

Hiro wrapped his arms around Tadashi, not caring about his dirt covered back, and they drove off. Heading home. Not glancing back. 

 

Aunt Cass nearly had a heart attack as her boys arrived at the doorstep of the Lucky Cat Cafe, looking like they'd been crawling in a drain for months. Despite the unique smell which came from both of them, she was glad to see them safe and sound.

 

\-----------------------------  
The lab assistant Steven Heartnet sat in front of the computer. Data and different numbers flew in high speed through his monitor. Replacing each other in constant rhythm.  
Next to the young man stood an untouched cup of cafe, which already lost its warm temperature. His fingers practically flew through the keyboard, searching for the identity of subject RA2015 and FO2015, hacking into systems. 

His back was covered in sweat, even though it wasn't even warm in this room, as his research finally came to its end.

 

With shaking fingers he opened the folder. He gulped. Subject RA2015 was named Tadashi Hamada, 23-years old. He was a student at the San Fransokyo Institute of Technology.

 

Subject FO2015 was a 16-year old boy named Hiro....Hiro Hamada. His younger brother.  
He also went to the SFIT. Impressive. At such a young age and already on his the last year of university.

 

*Wait...Hiro Hamada...Hiro Hamada..THE Hiro Hamada, who invented the micro-bot control through neurotransmitters at the age of fourteen?! * Steven bit his lip and looked through the folders of both subjects once again. On the left side of the folders was a link, an attachment to  
all the video footage’s, of the Royal Masquerade. Steven clicked on one of the videos.  
And he froze. 

 

Oh no.

No.

This is...

No. 

 

He couldn't allow this to happen! He couldn't allow THEM to destroy these two innocent lives.

A resolution formed inside Steven Heartnet. He took a deep breath, as he started to type new codes into the system, deleting all the information he just had found. With an inhuman grace his fingers danced through the keyboard and washed all the traces of his hacking away. He had to help them. He just had to. Even if the consequences would pull him six feet under.

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WAIT!...please note:
> 
> *......* -> someone's thoughts  
> ''......'' -> somebody speaks  
> //...//-> Tadashi's other side  
> §....§ -> Hiro's other side  
> ~*~+ -> dream?
> 
> :D yay~ Thanks for reading my stuff and bearing with my writing style xD  
> ~comments as well as criticism are always very welcome here~
> 
>  
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was dark at the 5th avenue of San Fransokyo, the streetlights flickered softly in a yellowish light and most of the citizens were already at home. The Lucky Cat Cafe was closed. 

 

Tadashi Hamada was sitting on his bed with a book placed on his hips, as he listened to the sound of falling water, which was coming from behind the bathroom door. His own hair was still a little damp from the shower that he took a few minutes ago. 

 

Aunt Cass was downstairs and prepared some warm food for both Hamada brothers at the kitchen. Even from up here, Tadashi could hear a pop song which was sounding from the radio. 

 

With a sign, Tadashi tried to concentrate himself on the black letters before him, but it was hopeless. The letters turned blurry before his eyes. He rubbed his head and noticed that he tried to read the same passage, the fifth time in a row and he still didn't remembered what the chapter was about.

 

Pensively he gazed at his freshly bandaged hands. It was strange but the itching and burning feeling, radiating from them, calmed him down. This feeling gave his mind something to focus on, to bundle his concentration on, in order not to think about the way the water would gently travel down the mesmerizing naked skin of his little brother as he stood in the shower.

 

//...It would be nice to be the one, to lick the water drops tenderly of his body, wouldn't it?~ //

*Focus...focus....focus.....*

 

Tadashi projected the flaring pain into his consciousness. The flaring almost pleasing pain, which he felt as Hiro hit him at the cemetery, to wake him up. The pain which signalized, how much his younger sibling cared about him. The twenty-three year old still remembered the way Hiro gazed down to him in the rain, like an angel. 

 

Like his personal salvation.

 

//..A salvation which resembles .. a forbidden fruit, doesn't it?....//

//..A fruit from which you can't keep your hands off...~//

 

And there it began again. The voice in his head. It was like a shadow luring in the back of his mind and attacking, fast, dragging thoughts to the surface which the older Hamada didn't thought he even possessed.

 

*Concentrate...concentrate....concentrate* He ordered himself.

 

Tadashi squeezed his hands together, ordering his mind, to focus on the incinerating flame, which sparked in his torn capsules, piercing and distressing, but bearable. The older Hamada closed his eyes and let the raw fire wander from his hands, up to his arms and shoulders as well as up to his neck, finally arriving at his brain and caging the inner beast within, putting it on a short leash.

 

The twenty-three year old knew, it wouldn't hold long. This monster-or whatever this thing housing in his head was- was not stupid. Soon he would tear the leash away and chain Tadashi up instead, whispering tempting words in his ear.

 

Speaking of temptation, Tadashi was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn't notice the missing sound of falling water, or the sound of an opening bathroom door. 

 

''Tadashi?...Is everything alright?'' Hiro asked with concern in his voice as he entered their room, one hand around the loosely wrapped towel on his hips. His ebony hair was still wet from the shower, water drops teasingly slowly made their way down his neck, pouring down his cream colored chest. One water drop fell down tauntingly close..so close next to one of his rosy nipples.

 

Tadashi clenched his hands tighter and bit his lip, almost ripping a bit of flesh along in the process, before he could get himself together and answer his younger sibling. Said sibling sneezed all of a sudden, breaking the spell, causing Tadashi's mother hen instincts to kick in. 

 

As fast as lightening, he took a fresh towel from the shelf and darted towards his younger brother. 

 

''Sixteen years old. Invented rocket boots for a cat at the age of ten and still doesn't know how to dry his hair properly so that he doesn't catch a cold'' The older Hamada stated teasingly, as he placed the towel on his little brother's head and began to dry his hair, in gentle, circling movements.

 

'' Tadashi! I'm not a baby anymore..'' Hiro muttered flustered, with arms crossed in front his chest.

 

*..Too..cute..* Tadashi thought, fondly.

 

''Yes. You are and always will be my big baby..'' The older Hamada announced smiling, despite the feeling of an ache in his heart, at his own words. As Tadashi was finished toweling down Hiro's hair, he took the towel off his head and had to giggle as he inspected the state of his younger sibling's hair, which messily stood out in different directions, giving him the appearance of someone who put his finger into an electrical socket. 

 

''..My hair looks totally ridiculous right now, doesn't it?'' Hiro stated dryly as he tried to adjust his hair with his fingers. Since they didn't have a mirror in their room, Hiro went back to the bathroom, eying up the results of his fruitless attempts to tame his hair.

 

Tadashi noticed the slight limp of his younger brother's left leg, as Hiro walked away.  
The older Hamada followed him and opened a shelf on the right corner of the bathroom.  
With well coordinated hand motions, he opened the first aid kid and took everything necessary out of the case.

 

''Hiro, could you please sit down on the brim of the bathtub? I would like to take a look at your injury..'' The older Hamada mentioned.

 

''Okay. But don't go and blame yourself for this little scratch'' Hiro declared as he did what he was told and sat down on the brim.

 

The expression on Tadashi's face must spoke volumes because he indeed blamed himself for  
Hiro's injury. If it wasn't for his reckless acts, Hiro wouldn't have been injured by searching for him, his big stupid older brother, in the first place. Sometimes Tadashi even questioned himself, if he was as responsible as he always seemed to appear to other people.

 

With a sign Tadashi kneeled down before his younger brother and inspected the injury closer.

 

''You're thinking about it right now, aren't you?'' Hiro questioned smiling.

 

''Hiro, would you kindly crawl out of my brain? It's kind of scary how you seem to read my mind...'' Tadashi spoke as he took a closer look at the angry red bruise, which had formed below Hiro's left knee.

 

''..I don't even need to crawl in your head in order to read your mind. It's all written on your face...you know nerd? '' Hiro claimed teasingly, while he tried to keep his legs firmly pressed together. He was still very naked beneath the towel and he didn't want to expose himself in front of his older brother like that.

 

''..May I touch your leg?'' His older brother asked gently, looking up to him, eyes filled with the concentration of a professional doctor.

 

'' Yes.'' Hiro replied nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders as if he didn't care, while something warm bubbled in his stomach, at the thought of Tadashi's big caring hands against his skin.

 

Hiro's breath almost hitched, as Tadashi lifted his leg slightly up and tilted it to the side, caressing slowly the skin around the red bruise. Occasionally, he asked Hiro if it hurt, when he pressed down his fingers on certain spots around the injury.

 

§...imagine..this big, rough hands nearer, closer..pulling you down..roaming around your body..leaving you breathless..~~ ...§

 

A shiver went down Hiro's spine.

 

''Hiro..? Are you cold?'' Tadashi asked worriedly as he noticed the goosebumps, forming on the soft skin. 

 

''A little..'' Hiro lied whispering, fearing his own voice might betray him if he spoke too loud.

 

''Hold on. We're almost done. I just have to apply some ointment on it and wrap it up in a bandage. We're lucky that it's nothing serious. The pain should lessen in the following days''  
Tadashi announced confidently.

 

''Thanks doctor Hamada'' Hiro stated jokingly, slowly regaining his composure.

 

As Tadashi applied the ointment, another shiver ran down Hiro's spine, involuntarily, but this time, it was actually caused by the coldness. With soothing movements, Tadashi wrapped the bandage delicately around Hiro's injured knee.

 

On a sudden impulse, the older Hamada bent down, and pressed a light kiss onto Hiro's injured area.

 

Warmth spread through Hiro's chest, fluttering softly in his stomach like a bunch of little butterfly’s. Affectionately he glanced at Tadashi. *Always so caring* Hiro thought fondly.

 

At a closer look, he took notice of the way Tadashi's bandaged hands seemed to tremble, to shake, like electricity was flowing through them. As Tadashi placed Hiro's leg back to its original position, Hiro deliberately bent down on and reached out for Tadashi's hands.

 

*It must be painful..* The younger Hamada thought, as he drew the beaten hands closer to his face and gently placed light kisses on the areas, in which the injured capsules must be located. Hiro felt heavy-hearted. Something kept bugging his older brother and he couldn't do anything to help him.

 

''..Tadashi you know..I won't ask anymore, how you got these wounds..but please..please take care of yourself...it hurts me..when I see you in pain..'' Hiro uttered against the warm bandaged and bruised palms.

 

''Hiro...'' Tadashi said hoarsely. 

 

Wordlessly, he surged forward and pulled Hiro down onto his lap, placing his lithe form into his own strong arms. He breathed in, the unique scent of the sweet and spicy fragrance which belonged to his younger brother, as he felt how the monster trashed against the leashes, wanting to be freed. But Tadashi kept it firmly under look and key. He wouldn't. He simply wouldn't allow this monster to hurt his baby brother.

 

Tadashi closed his eyes and caressed Hiro's soft skin. He held him like he was the most precious treasure in the world. With a content sign, Hiro leaned against the chest of his older brother.

 

''TADASHI! HIRO!'' Come down! And get ready to get your faces melted!'' Aunt Cass shouted enthusiastic from the second floor. 

 

Both Hamada brothers flinched, startled expressions appeared on their faces. After a few seconds, they recovered from the shock and started to laugh. Aunt Cass certainly knew how to use her loud organ. 

 

'' I think, we should get downstairs'' Hiro suggested smiling as he clumsily crawled out of Tadashi's embrace, his towel slid a few inches down his waist in the process. The older Hamada gulped and averted his eyes. He didn't want to look delicious streak of skin which was revealed. 

 

'' Hiro...you should probably put some clothes on. I don’t want you to catch a cold..'' Tadashi stated as he got up, still not looking at his little brother. '' I'll go downstairs and help aunt Cass with the preparations.'' The older Hamada declared. In stark contrast to his calm spoken words, Tadashi practically fled out of their room and flew down the stairs, scaring Mochi in the process, who hissed and jumped out of her chair.

 

~~~~~

 

Hiro looked dumbfounded at the spot which Tadashi left. Then he shook his head.  
With a smile on his lips, he opened the shelf and dressed himself in his most comfortable clothes. 

 

*Tadashi can be really dorky sometimes..but that's one of the things I like about him so much* Hiro thought as he pulled the shirt over his head. It was a little too big on him, but the fresh scent of lemons mixed with mint, which still clung to it, calmed him down and made him feel safe.

 

~~~~~

 

Tadashi took a deep breath as he concentrated himself on the hot cup of camomile tea in his palms. Aunt Cass stood at the kitchen counter and arranged the food in two orange colored  
plates as she kept talking about the new TV-show which she saw today. The show was about vampires, werewolves and what not.

 

Only pieces of her words arrived at Tadashi's brain, he tried to hold onto them in order to lead his mind out of the gutter, but somehow, he couldn't. Despite the warm and peaceful atmosphere at the kitchen, a chill ran down his spine. He placed the cup on his lips and drank the tea, slowly, hoping to detach himself from this feeling of dreadfulness which threatened to expand in his chest. The monster, the voice inside his head, kept trashing against its cage. Its fragments accomplished to slip into loopholes in his mind, creating images of a familiar captivating body grinding demanding against his own, into his head. And this body belonged to no one else than to his younger brother.

 

//..How sweet~..He cares so much about you..and you repay him with your lewd and dirty fantasies~//  
The voice laughed in his head. Tadashi comprised the tea cup stronger in his hands.

 

Aunt Cass looked up at her oldest nephew. ''Tadashi...is everything alright? Are your knuckles hurting?''  
The brunette woman stated worriedly.

 

Tadashi didn't told her any details about his injured hands. He only told her that he got into a fight with another person for Hiro's sake, which wasn't completely a lie, because he indeed fought with another person-, or whatever this thing in his head was, which persistently filled his mind with venom.

 

//..Tsk...dumb-ass..I'm not 'another person' or a 'thing'.... I am you. Clearer spoken, a part of you...And I love our precious gorgeous baby brother in all the ways you love him..//

// ...Maybe even a little more~//

 

Tadashi rigorously shook his head. Suddenly he remembered, he still owned his aunt an answer. ''It's nothing aunt Cass, really. I'm just a bit ashamed of what I've done...It is my responsibility to be a good role model for my little brother. And I have the hazy notion that I'm not doing a very good job.'' The older Hamada stated before taking another sip from his tea.

 

''But it's also your responsibility to look after your brother and to keep him from danger''  
Aunt Cass countered. ''And in this area you're doing a pretty decent job'' She added smiling while she took a bite of one of her self-made muffins.

 

It was already her fourth. A clear indication that she was stress eating, probably still from all the worrying about Hiro's and his whereabouts. Guilt spread through Tadashi.

 

//..What do you think..how much would she be stress-eating, if she knew about....  
..your dirty... .....little secret?~...//

//..Thirty? Or should we be more realistic?~//

//..One thousand muffins?..//

//What would she do, if she knew about the way you keep imaging, making your little brother writhe underneath your touch~...?...//

 

Tadashi squeezed his eyes shut and drank the whole tea empty, in one gulp. The Camille seemed to burn a hole into his throat. He exhaled slowly, concentrating, focusing, wrapping the chains tighter around the voice in his head.

 

''Thanks aunt Cass. Your words are balm for my soul'' Tadashi declared smiling, slowly returning back to his old self. ''So ..aunt Cass..I was wondering..would you like to watch a movie together with us? Of course if our little genius decides to honor us with his presence?..'' The older Hamada suggested jokingly, while he looked worriedly at the two orange colored bowls. 

 

* Hiro should already be making his way down stairs...* He thought.

 

Surprised at the suggestion, aunt Cass looked up to him, her eyes sparkling in excitement.  
''Why not? But only if I get to pick up the movie..'' She declared.

 

''Alright. It will certainly be fun'' Tadashi mentioned with a smile on his lips and an inner groan.  
*Please not again a romantic comedy movie* Hiro was going to kill him.

 

''What will be fun?'' Hiro questioned as he climbed down the stairs. His ebony hair was dry and he was wearing a shirt and sleep-pants which were a number too big for him. With a pang Tadashi realized, the sixteen year old standing before him, was wearing his old clothes.

 

The older Hamada bit his lip as he stood up and placed the dish near Hiro's usual sitting place and started to eat his own food, while his aunt answered Hiro's question.

''Hiro, Tadashi suggested to watch a movie tonight'' Their aunt answered smiling.  
The chocolate eyes of the younger Hamada lit up. 

 

''But I've got the allowance to pick the movie up'' Aunt Cass added.

 

Hiro's shoulder fell with the announcement.

 

''Hey..what's up with that expression? I have an awesome taste when it comes to movies''  
Aunt Cass claimed with her hands on her hips.

 

Hiro and Tadashi silently looked at each other and then back to their aunt. 

 

Wordlessly, Tadashi passed Hiro his bowl, as he watched how his little brother started to dig in, whilst he enjoyed his own food.

 

''Believe me!'' The brunette woman continued to advertise her movie. '' This time it is a really sweet romantic comedy movie, without a predictable and boring plot and poor acting actors.'' She pointedly looked at the younger Hamada, who was busy chewing his food and looking as innocently as possible, as he finished eating his food and placed his empty bowl near Tadashi's who was also finished.

 

''It was released in year 1999'' She continued.

 

''Now , it will only get better'' Hiro whispered in Tadashi's ear. His older brother had to suppress a shiver, before he collected himself and nodded along, smiling.

 

''The movie is called '10 Things I hate about you' and it's a really wonderful movie..and one of the main characters is Heath Ledger, a really handsome young man..'' Dreamily aunt Cass gazed at the window, like she expected Heath Ledger to personally crawl out of the window, with a bouquet of flowers in his hands.

Hiro rolled his eyes. But aunt Cass didn't seem to notice. Instead she walked into the living room and asked the boys to make the popcorn while she searched for her DVD.

 

''What's a DVD?'' Hiro asked Tadashi jokingly as he put the package into the microwave.

 

'' It appeared long before our time..Before even dinosaurs populated the world'' Tadashi stated seriously, in matter of factually.

 

They silently looked at each other and then started laughing. A few moments later, they both sat on the couch and their aunt sat right next to them, on her sofa, with Mochi, purring contently on the spot, right next to her. Despite Hiro's weak protests, their aunt placed a warm blanket on both of them.

 

''I'm discovering my inner Tadashi'' She announced. Hiro giggled and Tadashi blushed.

 

''Maybe you should have just let Tadashi write all your parental books for you'' The younger Hamada mentioned snickering as he snuggled himself closer to Tadashi's side, enjoying the warmth which radiated from his older brother's body.

''I still remember what you said, as you picked us from prison two years ago''  
Hiro added snickering and then changed the tone in his voice in order to match aunt Cass' voice.

''~ I failed to raise my tamagotchi, how the hell am I suppose to raise two children?!~''  
The younger Hamada stated with a slightly high pitched voice. 

 

This time Tadashi laughed and aunt Cass blushed out of embarrassment.

''Oh..you..shut up'' Aunt Cass ordered jokingly as she clicked on a button of her remote, enlightening the screen in a bluish color, as she leaned back on her sofa.

''One dollar for the swear envelope, aunt Cass'' Tadashi stated, while waving the envelope in front of her.

''Why Hiro didn't have to pay?'' Aunt Cass asked sulking.

 

''Weeelll..'' Tadashi wanted to state but Hiro interrupted him. '' Brother BONUS!''  
He announced loudly, as he poked his older brother affectionately on his side.

 

''Aww..don't I get an awesome aunt bonus?'' The brunette woman asked, wiping off a fake tear.

 

''You're just about to get it. We're going to watch a romantic comedy movie after all''  
Hiro declared smiling as he yawned and snuggled himself closer to Tadashi's chest, head resting onto his robust shoulder.

 

''Alright. You convinced me. But you will love this movie, I'll guarantee it on the tastiness of my backed goods!'' She said with conviction as she clicked on play and the movie began.  
They all turned their attention towards the screen, eyes following the movements of the actors. The movie wasn't even as bad as the Hamada brothers imagined. They had to cut their aunt some slack. Hiro laughed as the lead actress threw up on Heath Ledger, the action caught him completely off guard.

 

Every laugh was like a melody to Tadashi's ears. Tadashi held him close, arm slung around the delicate shoulders of his younger brother, keeping him warm and secure.

 

As the closing credits rolled through the screen, Hiro was already sleeping in Tadashi's arms. Snoring softly against the fabric of his shirt.

 

''Should I help you to carry him upstairs?'' Their aunt asked him whispering. But Tadashi gently refused and wished his aunt a good night, as he placed his arms carefully on Hiro's back and legs, lifting him up from the floor.

 

The brown-haired woman looked at them, as Tadashi climbed up the stairs with his little brother in his arms. It was always heartwarming to see, how much the older Hamada seemed to care about his younger sibling. But sometimes the brunette questioned herself, if its normal for two brothers to share such a strong connection. She remembered, once her sister, Tori, was alive, they both quarreled at least three times per week and competed with each other over their parents attention. But the bound between Hiro and Tadashi wasn't coined with even one tiny ounce of jealousy. Of course, given the tragic circumstances, they both had a closer connection than other siblings. 

 

Aunt Cass shook her head and headed for her bedroom. It was a long day after all. Mochi followed her on her paws and managed to slip inside the bedroom, as the brunette woman closed the door behind her.

 

~~~~~~

Tadashi placed Hiro carefully onto his bed. Warmth filled Tadashi's heart as Hiro snuggled closer to his pillow. Deliberately, the older Hamada swiped a strand of ebony hair away, enjoying the softness beneath his finger tips.

 

His heart skipped a beat as Hiro moved slightly, causing his shirt to ride up a few inches, revealing a streak of creamy skin. The older Hamada gulped and tried to avert his eyes but like magnets, his eyes were drawn to the mesmerizing part of skin, laying open, in front of him, almost shining in the moonlight which softly seeped through the curtains.

 

//...Just a little bit.....only one little touch~...//

 

The voice escaped its prison and lured Tadashi in. And the older Hamada felt like a puppet bound to strings. Strings, which moved his hands even without his own consent. Slowly, he surged forwards and laid his hand onto the warm skin as started to draw small circles onto Hiro's stomach. The movement caused Hiro's shirt to ride up even further.

 

An electric spark rushed through Tadashi's mind. The fragrance of something sweet and spicy hit his nose, invading his mind. The fragrance was so strong that it made him dizzy, almost sweeping him off his feet. He kneeled down before his sleeping little brother and pressed his nose onto his stomach. The scent was getting stronger and lulled the older Hamada into some kind of drunken state. Without even noticing, he started to place soft kisses down onto Hiro's stomach.

 

//..More...//

//..More..//

//..More..//

//..Mark him.....claim him as your own..//

 

Saliva began to multiply in Tadashi's mouth at the thought of leaving his own marks onto his little brothers lovely skin, but he gulped it down. And placed one last tiny innocent kiss right next to Hiro's belly bottom, before he arranged the shirt into its original position and put a blanket on the exhausted lithe body of Hiro. 

 

The older Hamada gritted his teeth and clenched his hands together as he ordered his body to turn away, to move away from the forbidden temptation which was lying in front of him. Tadashi made his way to his bed and lied down on it. His whole body was tense. High voltage seemed to curse through his veins.

 

*..Oh..god...*

*..so..close...I was so close I-.*

 

Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth, a consequence from biting his tongue, as he kept clenching his hands, feeling the blood boiling beneath his flesh. The twenty-three year old didn't know how he accomplished it, but after some time, his eyes were getting heavier. The tension lessened and the electricity finally faded away as he finally closed his tired eyes and drifted to sleep.

 

~*~+~*~+~*~+~*~+~*~+

Colorful light effects were dancing in front of Tadashi's eyes as people with masks, placed on their faces, moved to a foreign melody. All of them seemed to be plunged in a grayish color.  
Everyone. Except for one figure whose sleeveless hoodie shone in a bright red, raising from the masses of moving gray. 

Smirking, the fox masked boy danced to the rhythm of the sound, his flexible hips bending provokingly in a suggestive, sexual manner, causing the older Hamada to surge forward. 

 

Tadashi licked his lips as he roughly gripped the lithe hips with his demanding hands and pressed the mesmerizing body against his own. The fox boy gasped appetizing, pushing his lower half against Tadashi's, desperately. Hungrily, the twenty-three year old attacked the gasping mouth, greedily licking at the deliciously soft red petals, as they opened before him, revealing a tooth gap.

 

The older Hamada felt his heat throbbing, aching, at the sight before him. 

Harshly, he thrusted his hips forward, grinding against the unbearably hot friction, earning another ravishing moan from the fox boy in the process. The older male fiercely invaded the wet inviting heat of the younger boy. Saliva was dripping out of the corner from the fox boy's mouth. Tadashi greedily licked it away and sucked on the sensual piece of skin, causing the boy to shiver beneath him. Tadashi's heart rigorously beat against his chest, as an all-consuming heat flared through his whole being. 

 

He was enraptured.

 

Aggressively he pushed the boy down. The dance-floor of the 'Royal Masquerade' became blurry, before it morphed into a room with a huge red king sized bed, standing right in the middle. 

 

Many candles were burning all around the room, in a pleasant orange sort of color.  
The fox boy was lying beneath him on the bed, as Tadashi practically ripped the clothes from his body and shredded them on the floor. Creamy white delicious skin was revealed and a mesmerizing mouth-watering body came into his view, causing Tadashi to trail his tongue over every spot, which the gorgeous being in front of him had to offer.

 

The fox masked boy bestowed him with another filthy moan that went right down to Tadashi's core.

 

With vigorous strength, Tadashi pinned the painting lithe boy to the king-sized bed and pressed dark love bruises onto his stomach as well as his thighs. The younger male gasped as he willingly spread his legs apart, his own heat throbbing against his stomach. He looked passionately at Tadashi through half lidded eyes, eyes filled with lust, practically begging the older Hamada to claim him as his own.

 

With a feral groan, the older male pinned the fox boy's arms above his head and hungrily glanced at the delicate body beneath him. The liquid between the fox boy's thighs had a sweet and yet spicy scent. A scent which swept over Tadashi, causing him to strengthen his grip as he positioned his heat at the boy's entrance. 

 

The twenty-three year old threw the legs of the fox boy over his shoulders and was prepared to plunge himself into the willing heat, as a sudden coldness ran down his spine, caused by the brushing of white fabric against his left cheek. 

 

It was a bandage. 

 

A white bandage which was wrapped around the boy's left knee.

Horrified, Tadashi turned his gaze to the body, lying beneath him. The fox-mask slowly dissolved into thin ear and exposed big chocolate brown eyes which were staring up to him, fearfully. 

''Why..?'' His little brother whispered, eyes filled with terror.

 

'' Tadashi...why?'' Hiro asked sobbing as his whole body started to tremble in angst.

 

Red tears gently fell down Hiro's cheeks. His whole delicate body was covered in bruise marks. Love-bites which were formed like finger prints. Tadashi's finger prints.

 

Dreadfulness expanded in Tadashi's chest, making it harder for him to breathe. Anxiety pierced through his mind, he tried to let go of Hiro but his hands didn't move. He seemed to be paralyzed. He couldn't move. Not even one tiny bit.

 

*No..*

* Nooo...*

*NO..No..No*

 

Abruptly, a sudden brightness filled the room, leaving the older Hamada almost blind.  
The brightness dimmed down and the room morphed into another. Now, they were lying on Tadashi's bed, in their own room. The older Hamada was still on top of his little brother, delicate legs were still placed around his shoulders and slender hands were still pinned down roughly on the bed by Tadashi's hands.

 

And Tadashi still couldn't move. 

 

He had to watch how his younger sibling struggled and trashed against his strong grip, how his body trembled fearfully and how panicked, the expression on his face turned.

 

''Let me go...'' Hiro begged against his hold.

 

''Dashi..please let me go..it hurts...it hurts...'' Hiro sobbed as red tears continued to fall down his cheeks.

 

All of a sudden, their room was filled with people. Masked people. They moved forward, circling Tadashi like he was their prey.

 

''Sinner..'' Aunt Cass stated, pulling the mask off her face, as she pointed with her index finger towards Tadashi's direction.

 

''Sinner..'' Honey Lemon stated, pulling the mask off her face, mirroring the movements of his aunt..

 

''Sinner..'' Wasabi stated, pulling the mask off his face, copying the previous movements.

 

Bit by bit, everyone in the room dropped their masks to the ground and pointed accusingly  
at Tadashi's direction. Every familiar face, which was uncovered, was like a hit in Tadashi's gut. The voices kept getting louder, mixing up, melting into each other, until they were practically screaming at Tadashi. 

 

All of a sudden, the voices fell silent. 

It was a bone crashing silence

 

''..Ta...dashi '' Hiro's voice spoke softly beneath him. Fearfully, Tadashi turned his gaze towards him and flinched. Cracks were slowly forming out of the creamy body of his baby brother, like his skin was made of the finest porcelain. 

''Why?..Dashi.....why?'' Hiro whispered. 

 

One last bloody tear fell down Hiro's check as his body crumbled into dust right before Tadashi's eyes.

 

Shocked, the older Hamada looked at the pile of dust before his eyes. The paralyzation lost its hold of him. With trembling fingers he took the dust into his hands. 

 

...

Tadashi opened his mouth, feeling a scream ripping through his lunges as the dust moved, slung, like a rope around his neck and tied him up, tying him to a large piece of wood which was slowly morphing out of his bed. 

 

''Sinner...sinner...sinner..sinner'' The voices were whispering, as a pile of woods appeared beneath his feet.

 

''Sinner..'' A familiar voice stated. 

 

A raven masked boy stood in front of Tadashi with a bright burning torch in his hand. Smirking, he lit up the pile of woods beneath the older Hamada's feet.

 

''Sinner...sinner...sinner'' 

 

Everyone kept muttering as they watched how the fire swallowed him whole, burning his flesh.

 

~*~+~*~+~*~+~*~+~*~+

 

Tadashi ripped his eyes open. With his hands, he muffled the upcoming scream, rising from his throat, electrified he ran towards the bathroom. His heart was beating painfully against his ribcage. And his whole body was shaking in fear. The older Hamada leaned his sweaty head against the sink. With a jittery hand motion, he turned the cold water up and let it fall down, down to his head. After a few moments his breathing stabilized itself and he looked up at the mirror. 

 

His eyes widened, as they saw a raven masked face, in the reflection, which was staring right at him. 

The older Hamada shook his head, not believing his eyes.

 

''Sinner..'' The raven masked person in the mirror pronounced soundlessly, lips pulling into a crooked smirk.

 

~~~


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WAIT!...please note:  
> *......* -> someone's thoughts  
> ''......'' -> somebody speaks  
> //...// -> Tadashi's other side  
> §...§ -> Hiro's other side  
> \------- -> indicates part of the 'bad guys'  
> ~~~~ ->indicates transition
> 
> :D yay~ Thanks for patiently waiting for this chapter. :D And for all those comments and kudos.<3 Especially from *~Jimmy~* and *~MuteHero86~* ( Really guys, you know how to make a writer feel appreciated, verrry appreciated xD)
> 
> This chapter might hold a few grammatical mistakes as well as misspellings. It would be cool if you could give me some criticism here and there :)  
> Anyway, have fun reading the stuff below~
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tadashi still stared in shook at his raven-masked reflection, whose crooked smirk slowly pulled into a wide stretched grin. The older Hamada's hand wandered automatically to his own bottom half of the face, fearing that he might be smiling grotesquely, without even noticing. 

 

However, as his hand traced the area of his mouth, he didn't come in contact with any curled up lines. He didn't smile. His lips remained in a quivering horizontal position. Tadashi took a shaky breath. His reflection waved at him, mockingly.

 

''AHH!! NOOO!!!'' 

 

A desperate scream pierced through Tadashi's paranoia. 

 

And it wasn't his own.

 

*HIRO?!* Without blinking an eye the twenty-three year old ripped the bathroom door open and darted towards his little brother who kept trembling against his blanket. His face was crunched up and tears were running down his cheeks as he kept screaming sorrowfully.

 

''NOO!!!'' ''NOO!!!'' ''DON'T!!!'' Hiro continued to shout, caught up in a nightmare.

 

''Hiro!! Hiro..wake up!! It's a dream! It's only just a dream! Come on buddy...'' Tadashi placed his hands around his younger brother's shoulders and tried to shake him awake, to free him from the bad dream, which he was experiencing.

 

Helplessly, Tadashi watched how his brother continued screaming, as if he was in great pain. Each scream was like a stab in Tadashi's chest, mercilessly drilling a hole into his heart.  
He felt relegated, back into his own nightmare in which he stared down at Hiro, powerless, unable to do anything to cease his pain.

 

''TADASHI!! DON'T LEAVE ME!!'' The younger Hamada cried out suddenly, shaking uncontrollably.

 

The older Hamada outstretched his hands and took Hiro into his arms, placing him onto his lap. With gentle movements he started to rock him back and forth. One hand wrapped around Hiro's back. The other one began to caress his head. Tadashi kept whispering soothing words into the ears of his little brother. Instinctively, Hiro tried to wriggle himself out of this sudden warmth which was reducing his freedom of movement. But then the scent of lemons mixed with mint hit his nose and the soothing voice of his older brother finally seeped into his consciousness. 

 

''..I'm here Hiro and I won't leave you...''

''...No matter what happens..I'll stay by your side...''

''...Everything..everything will be alright...''

 

Tadashi mumbled against Hiro's head, still rocking him gently back and forth like he did when Hiro was six years old. 

 

''Ta...Tadashi? '' Hiro whispered disoriented against the warm solid chest, in front of his face.

 

''I'm here Hiro'' Tadashi stated gently as his hand slowly traced down to Hiro's face, brushing his tears away.

 

''I will always be here. Right next to you.'' The older Hamada repeated anew as he pulled Hiro closer, still tenderly rocking back and forth.

 

The older Hamada smiled as he felt delicate hands searching, before they clenched around the fabric of his shirt, frantically, as if Hiro was fearing Tadashi might dissolve into thin air if he would let go of him. 

 

''I dreamed...'' Hiro started faintly. ''Ta..dashi..I dreamed that you died..you ..you burned to...to death..it was bright ..the fire it was so bright....and you ...you...you left me..and I..I don't know what I would do..if you..if you-'' The younger Hamada's body trembled.

 

Tadashi carefully guided Hiro's head to the area where his heart was beating.

 

''Do you hear my heartbeat?'' The older Hamada questioned.

 

Hiro nodded haltingly.

 

''This heartbeat will never cease to beat as long as you in need of it'' Tadashi whispered softly against the ebony black hair.

 

''Forever?'' Hiro breathed.

 

''Forever. As long as you'll need me'' The twenty-three year old stated reassuringly, fondly smiling down on Hiro.

 

Hiro smiled back against the broad chest.

 

The younger Hamada finally relaxed, his body leaned into the loving touch. Back and forth. Back and forth. Tadashi still rocked Hiro slowly back and forth. The movement calmed both of the Hamada brothers down. Hiro's tired puffy red eyes closed and his breath evened out.  
Not much time passed, as Hiro fell asleep in Tadashi's arms, with lithe hands still holding persistently onto the fabric of Tadashi's shirt.

 

Lovingly, the older Hamada placed a kiss on the soft forehead of his precious baby brother and sighed contently. 

 

After a few moments Tadashi's eyes wandered around the non-enlightened room as they met glowing numbers, coming from an electric clock which stood on Hiro's table. The clock indicated, it was almost past 4 am in the morning. Automatically, Tadashi pulled the blanket over both Hiro and him. He pressed his face into Hiro's fluffy hair, breathing in his scent, as he fell asleep with his little brother in his arms.

 

The disturbing nightmare which had haunted him down and tortured him mentally, faded bit by bit. All of the traces were washed away by Hiro's light snoring and the feeling of his lithe body against Tadashi's own. The voice in his head remained silent as if it finally decided to leave the older Hamada alone.

 

\----------------------------------------------

The green eyed woman crossed her legs in front of her in a business-like manner and adjusted her glasses, as she turned her attention to Steven Heartnet. Her new lab assistant who was standing, with a respectable distance, right next to her. Her cold eyes stared into his blue eyes. Her gaze seemed to pierce through his skull like a knife.

 

He suppressed a shudder.

 

The twenty-seven year old young man increased the grip on the clipboard in his hands in order to have something to hold onto.

 

''Mr. Heartnet, I do believe, I asked you kindly for a certain information. Information which isn't here. Why? The reason why our organization decided to chose you, lies in the fact that you are the best available man in your speciality...'' The woman kept staring at him, unyielding.

 

'' It practically can't be possible that it takes for you more than 24 hours to dig out some little piece of information'' The green-eyed continued to speak, slowly, like an animal circling its victim.

 

This time Steven Heartnet didn't suppress a shudder, a shiver which ran down his back like cold fluid ice. After a few seconds, which seemed like hours, Steven regained his ability to speak.

 

''I peg your pardon! I just need a few more hours. As part of such a powerful organization as yours, I need to control if the obtained information is reliable''

 

With faked sincerity, he looked in the eyes of the 'snake', as he secretly called her.

 

''Alright..You can count yourself lucky, Mr. Heartnet that I'm in such a good mood today. Please turn your attention to these to lovely monitors and tell me, what do you see?''

 

The 'snake' asked as she pointed with her morbid almost unhealthy white finger at the two screens in the right corner.

 

Steven Heartnet's heart skipped a beat. *oh. no.* He gulped his terror down and plastered a look of amazement and happiness on his face. ''That's absolutely astonishing!'' He stated.

 

'' Subject RA2015 reached its 97%! And subject FO2015 is already at its 91%! Without any disturbance! Other experiments didn't last as long without a mental breakdown! Fascinating! It's really interesting, how fast their brainwaves adapted to the neurotransmitter..Soon we'll be able to take this glorious experiment one step further!'' The blonde haired man added, his chest rising frantically up and down. He hoped that the 'snake' will view at as a result of his excitement.

 

The venomous woman eyed him up and down. A smile slowly appeared on her lips, revealing teeth which held a certain similarity to the sharp teeth of a shark. '' I knew you would understand. Now, Mr. Heartnet, would you kindly return to your workstation and obtain the required information? You just saw how important the fruit of your work will be for the third upcoming phase of our experiment..'' She stated, with an ironed undertone.

 

''Yes madam!'' The lab assistant Steven Heartnet declared powerfully, trying his best to sound convinced. * I need a plan. I need it now. If I'm not fast enough, it will be too late.*

 

He took a bow before the woman and left the room with the clipboard, shaking in his hands.

 

As he turned his back to the monitors, he missed how the 91 % of the fox masked subject climbed higher, how its brainwaves expanded, increasing to whole 96%. The woman laughed in delight. A laugh which her lab assistant didn't hear through the already closed door behind him.

 

Steven greeted a few security guards on the way to his workstation. The corridor which he passed was painted in white and gray. He hated this combination. It reminded him of a hospital. As he finally arrived at his workstation and closed the door behind him, he let out a shaky breath. If his calculations turned out to be right, then the probability was high that subject RA2015 and FO2015 wouldn't react like the organization will expect them to.  
Once they'll go passed the 99%, they'll be out of control. Their rational brainwaves will get so low that they would even commit murder without blinking an eye. 

 

He had to find a way to contact them, before it wasn't too late.

\--------------------------------------------------------

 

~~At the Lucky Cat Cafe~~

The brown haired woman yawned as she slowly climbed up the stairs to the room of both Hamada brothers. It was early in the morning and she wanted to insure that her nephews had enough time to eat something before they stormed to the SFIT without any food in their stomachs.

 

As she approached the door to their room, she first didn't believe what she saw with her eyes. Hiro and Tadashi laid curled up together on Hiro's bed. The older Hamada had his younger sibling wrapped in his arms. A peaceful expression painted his face, as he evenly breathed in and out. Hiro had his mouth slightly open and snored lightly against Tadashi's chest.

 

Aunt Cass had to resist not to take a snapshot with her cellphone. It was just heartwarming to see. They seemed so peaceful. 

 

A peace which would be destroyed by her.

 

''Tadashi...Hiro...'' She whispered, approaching their bed slowly, with carefully placed steps because Hiro tended to leave his tools for engineering, carelessly lying around in the room, inviting visitors to step onto them and experience pain.

~~~~~

Tadashi's eyes flattered at the sudden noise of silent swearing. He opened them and saw aunt Cass standing not far away from their bed, muttering curses while holding her sore foot.  
She probably stepped on one of Hiro's tools again.

 

''..Swear envelope..'' He muttered smiling at his guardian.

 

''Tadashi, you're awake?'' Aunt Cass stated, not keeping her volume down. The older Hamada slightly gestured to Hiro's suddenly scrunched up face.

 

''Please could you speak more quietly? Hiro had a bad nightmare last night and I fear that he might catch a cold if he doesn't get some proper sleep.'' Tadashi whispered quietly.

 

Their aunt nodded understandingly. She also started to notice the dark bags under Tadashi's eyes and his pale face. He also looked like he was ready to catch a cold.

 

''Maybe... you both could just skip school today...?'' She suggested.

 

''What?'' Disbelieving Tadashi looked into her eyes.

 

''Come on, don't look at me like that. I know I'm supposed to have a good influence on both of you, but first and foremost I need you to be healthy. So you both gonna stay here and cure yourself out. I'm gonna call the university and tell them that you both have an important family meeting to attend to- or something along the lines'' Aunt Cass said smiling as she retreated.

 

''Thanks aunt Cass'' Tadashi mouthed before his eyes automatically closed again. He didn't even hear how their aunt shut their door.

 

~~~~~~

An aching pain went through Hiro's skull. Sharp and unyielding, it drove deep into his brain. Hot. Suddenly it was warm, very warm like he was burning up. A big body pressed closer to him. Keeping him caged.

 

Hiro hastily ripped his eyes open and was confronted with a familiar white shirted chest.  
*Tadashi..* 

 

§....come and get it~...§

§..I know you want it~..want him..~§

§..Come on don't be shy~.....I even take the first step for you..§

 

It felt like his body moved on its own. Hiro felt heat building up and sinking into his lower region while Tadashi still held him in his arms, like he was something pure.

 

*No..No...no..* Hiro nearly gasped as his midsection pressed against Tadashi's lower body.

 

Hot. Lava was recklessly flowing through his head. The scent of lemons and mint swirled through his mind like a whirlwind. Closer. He needed his older brother so much closer. And it was tearing him apart.

 

Flashes of his dream flowed through his mind, giving him enough piece of willpower to snap out of the strong pull. He wriggled himself out of Tadashi's unbearably warm embrace and ran towards his bathroom.

 

Panting, he sat with his back leaned against the closed door. It burned, the voice reverberated through him, taunting, and he wasn't strong enough. With shaking legs he stood up. Hot.  
It was hot. He threw his clothes away and stepped into the shower, turning the water on. Merciless coldness mizzled steadily onto his body, but the lava still burned in his veins.  
The pain in his skull increased, making him want to submit to it. Making him want to be near Tadashi, to touch him, to feel his older brother's skin against his own. Feel his hands wrapping around his body, pressing him closer. Much closer. Forbiddingly close.

 

Hiro didn't look down. He knew, he was painfully hard. His breath was unstable and he still had the feeling of fire, raging beneath his skin, even as the cold water hit his body.

 

§..Submit..to me..~..§

 

§..It will be easy~.....it will be fun....§

 

The piercing pain got louder and Hiro's mind went black for a second as he opened his eyes, he felt his own hands wandering down his lower body. He knew they were his own, but as he looked at them, they looked different. Big. Rough. Caring. Bandaged. Like Tadashi's.

He gasped as one hand gently patted his stomach before it slide down to his groin, touching his heat, fondling his member. Hiro panted. The image of Tadashi still present in his head.  
How his older brother would whisper soothing words into his ear, as he stroked him up and down.

 

Hiro was drowning, lost in bliss. His mind was drifting away, heat increasing. The stroking continued, he had to bit his lip in order to muffle the sounds he made as he kept on masturbating. The heat waves started to roll through his skin, leaving him out of breath. Everything was mixing into one and he came, painting the shower wall, white. He bit his lips once again, trying not to scream out the name of his older brother which lay one door behind in the bed and slept. 

 

His legs shook. 

 

Exhausted, Hiro sank down the wall. The water kept falling down, washing the traces of his sin away. The after-waves continued to hit him like tiny electric shocks. A bit of drool slipped from his mouth. With an energetic movement, he wiped the drool away. Trembling, he felt how the heat left him, creeping out of his veins, leaving him cold. The younger Hamada pressed his hands on his head. Realization of what he'd done soon arrived at his mind. 

 

He had just jacked off.

 

Imagining his older brother's hands on him. 

 

§..but it was fun~..§

 

§..why won't you let me~.... become a part of you~? §

 

*Go away..go away.... go away*

 

Hiro just couldn't continue this way. He needed to focus. Needed to stay strong. The sixteen year old looked at his bandaged knee. The bandage which his older brother lovingly wrapped around his injury. Guilt spread through his mind, crawling like an army of insects, weighting down on him. 

 

*Tadashi..Tadashi...I'm sorry...I'm sorry..* Hiro rocked back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth. Somehow this movements calmed him down. The water drops were still falling down his body. He reached out and turned the water down.

 

§..Hiro..~ Hiro..succumb to your desires~§

*Shut. up. ....I'm stronger..stronger than you.*

 

Weakly, Hiro stood up. The damp bandage clung to his knee, accusingly kept him grounded. The face which greeted him in the mirror had circles under its eyes, but the intense stare in them was filled with determination. Quickly, the younger Hamada toweled himself down.  
A few seconds passed and he felt how the damp bandage dried more and more, till it felt like it was just freshly wrapped around his knee. 

 

He had to smile.

 

Tadashi invented it. His older brother told him, it was really handy to have a bandage which would dry itself after contact with water. Especially, when you're wounded and had to take a shower. How foresightful. Unconsciously, Hiro's lips curled upward. Even if Tadashi wasn't around, he knew how to make him feel better.

 

Pensively, Hiro put his clothes on and stepped out of the bathroom. On his way to his bed, he glanced at the clock. *Shit. It's already 11 am!!* SFIT began at 8 am. The younger Hamada darted towards his older brother and started to jolt him awake.

 

'''Nerd..big dork!.. Wake up! Wake up!! We have to go to nerd school!'' Hiro announced loudly as he kept shaking him by his shoulders.

 

''OWw....Hiro what..what is all this ruckus about?'' Tadashi mumbled, forcing his eyes open.

 

''Nerd... we're like 3 hours too late for nerd school!!'' Hiro shouted exasperated, letting go off Tadashi's shoulders.

 

''Since when you are so excited about going to school? Come on rest a bit...''  
The older Hamada uttered sleep drunken, as he grabbed Hiro by the arm and pulled his younger sibling close to him. With a yelp Hiro ended up lying on top of Tadashi. 

 

Cinnamon eyes met chocolate brown.

 

''Knucklehead..aunt Cass wanted to wake us up this early morning, but then she feared, we would get sick if we didn't have enough sleep..she already phoned the SFIT. She told them something about a family meeting, which we had to attend..'' Tadashi explained yawning, with a somewhat dopey smile on his face as he looked at his younger brother. Hiro couldn't resist, he smiled back. ''Okay if that's the case.'' He stated reassured. The sixteen year old closed his eyes and leaned his head onto Tadashi's warm chest. 

 

Tickling.

 

Hiro felt arms tickling him. He squealed high pitched. Tadashi laughed softly at the noise. 

 

''Ha.ha..ha... No stop it! Ha..ha..ha..bad big brother. Bad! Ha.. ha..ha.. '' Hiro surged forward tickling his older brother back and Tadashi tried to return the favor. 

 

They ended up wrestling with each other. 

 

The Hamada brothers laughed as they tried to see, who could find the other's weak spots first. Out of breath, Tadashi lied on top of Hiro. ''Ha... ha..haha...guess..who is the winner?''  
He claimed laughing, pinning Hiro's hands above his head with one hand. His other one rested on his stomach, pressing him onto the bed. 

 

''Alright..alright..I give up! I give up! Have mercy! Ha.. ha.. Ha..'' Hiro laughed as his older brother tickled his side with his right hand.

 

The older Hamada stopped his movements and looked at Hiro. Gazed at the way his chest rose and fell as he tried to even out his breathing. His face was flushed from all the laughing. 

 

//..now..now..now....// The daring voice reverberated through Tadashi's mind, slipping out of its cage.

 

§...now..now now~...§ The tempting voice practically purred into Hiro's ear.

 

Like under hypnosis, Tadashi let his right hand wander... from Hiro's side, to his stomach until he placed it onto Hiro's chest. The heartbeat, beating frantically against his palm, seemed to synchronize with the fast beating heart in his own chest. 

 

''Tadashi..?'' Hiro breathed, eyes making contact with the half lidded eyes of his older brother.

 

''Hiro...'' Tadashi could only reply raspy, like he was lost in a daze. 

 

''Ta..dashi..'' Hiro's eyes stared up to him, his mouth opening, pronouncing his name between his petal formed lips. It sounded almost like a prayer. Tadashi's heart skipped a beat. Slowly, he bent down, eyes lingering on his little brother, wandering over the thick long lashes, the flushed cheeks as well as the delicious curve of his lips. Beautiful. Utterly beautiful. Caught under a spell, the older Hamada came closer, ready to place his lips onto the one's of his younger brother, as the spell was broken by the ringing sound of a cellphone. 

 

Hiro's cellphone.

 

Tadashi snapped out his daze, the sound of the cellphone was like a slap in his face. Slapping him back into reality. Tadashi breathed out shaking, before he nuzzled Hiro's forehead and placed a chaste kiss on the cream colored skin.

 

''I...probably should pick the cellphone up'' Hiro mumbled under him, hands still pinned above his head.

 

''Wait. I've got it.'' The older Hamada dropped his hold around Hiro's hands, outstretched his left hand and grabbed the cellphone which was lying on the desk. As he saw the ID name on the screen, something twisted in his gut. This twisting caused his thumb to move and to repress the call, silencing the ringing sound.

 

''Who was it?'' Hiro asked questioning, hands adjusting his shirt.

 

''No one important. It seems like the woman from the advertisement website which keeps calling aunt Cass, got her hands on your number.'' Tadashi lied smoothly, as he stood up, leaving the bed.

 

''I'll go and take a shower. If you want to, you can rest for another couple of hours'' Tadashi suggested.

 

''No. I kinda feel a lot better now. Luckily, we only had nerd school till 13 pm today, so we probably didn't miss much anyway. I go down and eat something. Should I prepare your usual tea, nerd ?'' Hiro asked.

 

''Yes, please'' Tadashi replied smiling, before he ruffled through Hiro's hair and went to the bathroom.

 

~~~~~~

Hiro kept staring at the point from where his big brother vanished. His heart still beat frantically against his chest. Warm. Close. They had been so close that- Hiro shook his head. Nothing. It meant absolutely nothing. Just brotherly tickling like they always did.  
§.. More..more~you wanted more~...§ *Shut up* Hiro changed himself into his cargo trousers and put his usual red shirt on as he headed downstairs. 

 

He snatched his cellphone off the desk along the way, out of their room. Without bothering to look at the calling list, trusting Tadashi's judgment, he climbed down the stairs to the kitchen.

 

The younger Hamada made himself breakfast and poured some hot tea for Tadashi into the Thermos bottle, which should keep the tea warm. The sixteen year old sat onto his chair and began to eat, enjoying every bite. He didn't know how hungry he was until the first bite traveled down his stomach. As he was finished eating, he washed his plate and went down to the Lucky Cat Cafe. 

 

Aunt Cass stood behind the counter, relief spreading through her face as she noticed the sixteen year old. The brunette woman was already trying to serve three customers at one time and certainly appreciated Hiro's offer to help. 

 

Serving backed goods to customers could be exposed as an immensely difficult task. Especially, when your employee is on vacation and today was the busiest day of the week . One may think that Saturday's are the days with the highest customer rate, but nope, as Hiro could remember it always had been the Friday's which were the most overworked days. 

 

And today was Friday. 

 

Hiro grabbed his notepad and went to the guests with the most pissed off faces first, because they were usually the ones who had waited the longest.

 

Hiro scribbled down the orders and placed them in perfect chronology at the kitchen counter. Then he took the plates which were ready and carried them to the eagerly looking guests, who rubbed their stomachs expectantly. On his way to table three, he passed a family with two siblings, who were arguing loudly about the size of their donuts. One claimed his donut was far more bigger than the other one's, and the other sibling claimed exactly the opposite. Their parents tried to calm them down. 

 

Hiro smiled sadly, before shaking his head and placing the dish on table number three. 

 

As the younger Hamada went back to the kitchen counter and placed a few new orders on the table, aunt Cass nudged softly his arm. 

 

'' Hiro, could you please bring this coffee to table seven?'' The brunette woman requested.

 

''Of course'' The younger Hamada replied, while grabbing the coffee and making his way towards the table, which was located in the corner, near the window. On table number seven sat a tall blonde man in a gray suit, who was staring at his iPad, lying in front of him.  
Even from this distance, Hiro noticed that the man looked kinda tense. 

 

As if gray suit wearing figure sensed that his coffee arrived, he turned his attention from his electric device to the sixteen year old waiter, who came towards him.

 

''Here, your coffee, sir'' Hiro said automatically, with a slight smile on his face.

 

''Thanks.'' The blonde man replied with his blue eyes looking directly at Hiro, tracing down his body with his eyes. 

 

''It's nothing. It's my job'' The younger Hamada mentioned cheerfully. While he wanted to turn his back away and storm off. Somehow he felt analyzed. Like a lab rat. And he hated this feeling.

 

He was ready to make his way to table number 10, where a little girl dropped her doll, but then the man caught him off guard.

 

''Pardon me for my manners, but you're Hiro Hamada, aren't you? The famous genius prodigy in robotics?'' The suit wearing blue eyed asked him.

 

''Yes. Why?'' Hiro stated, carefully keeping his distance. Most companies didn't bother him anymore, but there where always the one's who wanted to buy his inventions for money. For their own corrupt purposes.

 

''I always found your concept of microbots utterly interesting and truly fascinating''  
The blue eyed man explained.

 

''I'm sorry but my microbots aren't for sale'' Hiro replied dryly, as deadness swept over him.

 

''No. I don't want to buy your inventions. I'm sorry, I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable. My name is Steven..Steven Heartnet and I'm not here to involve you into some shady corrupt company business. I know, it may sound strange but I'm here to protect you. Sadly, I can't explain the whole issue to you, because I don't have enough time, but you need to trust me. I'm here to help. I know, how to get ride off this symptoms which you're experiencing.'' 

 

''Wha-...what?.... Symptoms?'' Hiro whispered gobsmacked, realization slowly dawning to him. Could this person sitting in front of him possibly know something about the strange voice in his head?

 

''Heat waves. Headache. A voice, which whispers things in your head.'' Steven Heartnet listed. 

 

Hiro paled.

 

'' Don't worry. I truly can help'' The blue eyed man stated as he handed Hiro a card which had the size of his thumb. ''This is my number. If something happens, please contact me'' Steven Heartnet said with an earnest tone in his voice.

 

''Thanks..?'' Unsure, Hiro looked at the card and then back to the face of the suit wearing man which called himself Steven Heartnet. Hesitantly, he reached out and placed the card into his pocket. ''I'm sorry, but I have to go'' Hiro said and was ready to dart away, as a hand grabbed his wrist.

 

Hiro yelped at the sudden contact.

 

''Please wait! There is another thing I need to tell you-'' but before Steven Heartnet could finish his sentence, his arm was harshly yanked away from the younger Hamada's wrist, by Tadashi Hamada. His very angry looking older brother. Despite the smile on his lips, his brown eyes seemed to shot daggers at Steven. With powerful determination Tadashi dragged the tall blonde man out of the Lucky Cat Cafe. 

 

''We do not tolerate customers who trouble our waiters'' Tadashi stated neutrally, with a polite smile on his face, as his bundled limp strength almost dislocated Steven's shoulder.  
The blonde haired man muffled the scream, rising in his throat. 

 

'' ...I ...understand'' Steven Heartnet gasped out. 

 

With a swift movement, Tadashi's arm retreated and he closed the door to the Lucky Cat cafe behind his back, leaving the suit wearing man, standing dumbfounded on the street.

 

*Well this didn't go exactly as planned* Steven Heartnet thought as he picked up his briefcase which fell on the ground and went to the direction from which he came from. 

 

Deep down the 27- year old man hoped that the younger Hamada and his older brother wouldn't take a step into the Royal Masquerade today. Even though, he didn't get the chance to warn them. 

 

The venomous woman increased the signals which were connected to the loudspeakers, creating an even stronger pressure on the neurotransmitter in their modificated masks.

 

If they went there today, the 99% would be exceeded for sure.

 

~~~~~~

As the older Hamada closed the door behind him, he straightly went to his younger sibling.  
''Hiro! Is everything alright? He didn't hurt you, did he?'' Worriedly Tadashi placed his hands gently onto the delicate shoulders of the sixteen years old. 

 

''No.... don't worry.... See?'' The younger Hamada showed him his wrist. There weren't any signs of bruising. Relieved, Tadashi breathed out. 

 

''He just...just wanted to tell me something..'' Hiro added, deep in thoughts. 

 

''What?'' Tadashi asked, furrowing his eyebrows. 

 

''No..nothing..maybe you were right and he was just some kind of creeper'' Hiro stated, while he kept the little card hidden from Tadashi's view, which rested in one of his cargo pockets. 

 

Both Hamada brothers continued to help out aunt Cass, scribbling down orders and placing said orders in front of hungry looking eyes. As they worked side by side, the older Hamada kept firmly an eye on Hiro. Fearing, somebody decided to harass his little brother again. 

 

Time passed and another jingle sounded from within the Cafe. A red haired leather wearing punk took a step into the Lucky Cat Cafe and leaned towards the counter with a smile on his face.

 

''Akira?'' Hiro questioned while he moved to Akira's direction.

 

''Hi Hiro. I thought I'll pay you a visit. I was worried, because you didn't pick up your cellphone this morning...I thought, you forgot about our little meeting, you know simultaneous equations, you and me?'' The red haired stated questioningly. 

 

''Oh shit. I forgot indeed! Oh man. I'm terribly sorry'' Hiro expressed. ''Could you wait here for a moment? I'll go fetch my stuff. I think aunt Cass wouldn't mind, if I go out and help a friend who is in need of my intellectuality'' The younger Hamada mentioned grinning while he disappeared from Akira's sight of view.

 

The red haired kept looking longingly in the direction, in which the sixteen year old disappeared. Not noticing the older Hamada, who slowly approached the punk with seven empty plates in his hands. 

He placed them sound-fully onto the counter next to Akira, causing the tattooed 18-year old to flinch. Tadashi suppressed a satisfied smirk as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. Akira mirrored his movement. Both were looking at each other with cheerful expressions on their faces. But the expressions lied. Akira's and Tadashi's eyes were burning holes into each others brains.

 

''Big brother Hamada'' Akira greeted.

 

''Friend of Hiro'' Tadashi replied.

 

''You hurt him... and I'll go and break every goddamn bone in your body, twice, got that ?''  
The twenty-three year old whispered near Akira's hearing length, as he grabbed the new orders which laid beside Akira on the table. 

 

A shiver went down Akira's spine but he kept smiling. Tadashi's bandaged hands were itching, stomach churning, he was ready to hit Akira in the face but he took a quick breath and collected himself.

 

''So... do you want to eat something before you go?'' Tadashi asked sweetly.

 

*So you can poison me?* Akira thought. ''No thanks. WE will eat something at my house''  
The punk emphasised the word ''we'' and enjoyed how the corner of Tadashi's mouth jerked almost invisibly.

 

''Aww... you must be Hiro's new friend!'' Aunt Cass appeared from behind the counter and shook warmly Akira's hand who could only return the handshake with a puzzled expression on his face.

 

''I'm Hiro's aunt. Name's Cass'' She said as she withdrew her hand.

 

The puzzled look on his face cleared.

 

''Then you must the lady with the golden hands who backed those incredible muffins.''  
Akira stated, amazement glinting in his eyes.

 

Meanwhile Tadashi turned away and placed the plates on table number five and number fourteen. 

 

''Yes that would be me'' Aunt Cass replied, clearly pleased to hear his compliment. 

 

''If you want, I can make a few more, so that you can eat them with Hiro at your home. And of course the backed goods are on the house, because every friend of Hiro is our friend, isn't it right Tadashi?'' The brunette woman asked excitingly.

 

''Yes'' Tadashi gritted through his teeth, smiling.

 

''I'll go upstairs and help Hiro with the preparations.'' The older Hamada said, without waiting for a reply, as he opened the door and climbed up to his and Hiro's room. He couldn't explain it but the thought of Hiro being away from him, became more unbearable each day. Like something was missing when Hiro wasn't by his side.

 

The older Hamada stepped into their room. Hiro was already busy placing math books into his backpack, as he heard the upcoming footsteps and turned around, facing Tadashi.  
His older brother was leaning against the door frame, with arms crossed in front of his chest. He looked like some kind of bodyguard. The cap was shadowing Tadashi's eyes, making it hard to read his facial expression.

 

Even though Hiro didn't see his expression, he somehow felt like his older brother didn't want him to go. He- himself was torn. On the one hand, he wanted to stay with his brother. On the other hand, he knew, he wouldn't have the strength to control this tempting voice in his head if he was to be near Tadashi. 

 

With a sign Hiro closed the zipper of his backpack and slung it over his shoulders. As he stood in front of Tadashi, he stretched his arms out and wrapped them around the chest of his older brother, breathing in the scent of lemons mixed with mint. He snuggled closer and smiled as a warm hand started to caress his hair.

 

''..Dashi...everything will be alright....go enjoy yourself.. call Fred or watch some goofy movies while I'm away..Don't worry..I can take care of myself..'' He whispered against the solid chest as he heavy-heartedly let go of his older brother. 

 

And both of them went downstairs.

 

Hiro waved Tadashi goodbye as he drove off with Akira. Tadashi felt a pang in his heart, which was expanding, ripping him apart. He had to suppress the impulse to start the engine of his moped and follow them.

 

''They certainly grow up fast, aren’t they? Aunt Cass mentioned, watching how Tadashi stood in front of the Lucky Cat Cafe and stared at the direction in which his little brother disappeared. The older Hamada detached his gaze and nodded smiling at his aunt, before he continued to help her with the guests.

 

Time passed. And the Lucky Cat Cafe closed as the last customer went out of the jingling door. Tadashi excused himself and went upstairs under the pretext of doing some work for a new SFIT-project. Instead of doing some school work, he sat on his bed, staring at the blinking yellow point which was shown by his GPS tracker. Hiro was still at Akira's house. And somehow this knowledge alone left the older Hamada with a twisting churning in his gut.

 

With a sign, he placed his electric device back under his bed. The last traces of sunlight placidly vanished from their room. It was getting dark. Tadashi stared at his cellphone, fighting the urge to call his little brother and to tell him to finally come home. To finally come home to him. 

 

Time, without his precious baby brother by his side, passed agonizingly slow. Every minute felt like a whole day. 

Tadashi scrolled down, reading his commenced messages which he didn't send off.

\- 19:00 : -How are you, knucklehead? :)

\- 19:05 : -Is everything alright? :D

\- 19:08: -You can come home if you want ^^

\- 19:14: -We could watch this new super hero movie, about which you've been talking about,  
recently. ;)

\- 19:25: - Why are you taking so long ? I miss you :(

\- 19:28: - Please, come home...

\- 19:28: - PLEASE~

\- 19:29: - Hirooo....

\- 19:30: - please...big brother misses you...

\- 19:31: - HIRO~

 

With shaking hands Tadashi noticed that every new message was sounding more desperate than the previous one. He shook his head, deleting each one of his unsent-sentences.  
He placed his cellphone on the spot beside him and opened his book about hydrodynamics.

 

Suddenly, his cellphone vibrated. Eagerly, Tadashi opened the newly arrived message with one type of his index finger.

 

19: 33: - I'm sorry Dashi, but I'll stay at Akira's till 1'o clock...he has an important exam tomorrow and I want to help him...I already called aunt Cass, she said it would be alright, if I were to stay longer. Apparently, Akira left a pretty good impression on her...well, see you later.. Love ya, big dork :) -

 

*Hiro! You can't stay with this creep! Come home, right now! Please? Should I pick you up?*

 

All these things, Tadashi wanted to type on the screen of his cellphone. He remembered how his fuse nearly blew as Akira slung his filthy arm around Hiro's delicate shoulders. Tadashi wanted to type the words - please..please come back- but he didn't.

 

19:36: - Alright big baby :) If aunt Cass said so, I have no choice but to trust her feminine instincts, please stay safe and just till 1:00, not one minute too late! You don't want to mess up your circadian sleep-wake cycle, do you? ....Well, have fun. Love you too, bonehead :D -

 

Tadashi lied himself down onto his bed, placing the cellphone on his chest, as it vibrated once again.

 

19:37:- Yeah, thanks dorky doc ;) - Hiro typed back.

 

19:37:- You're welcome :D - Tadashi replied.

 

With a smile Tadashi sighed contently, before opening the folder with all the pictures which he once took, trying to distract him from this nagging feeling, which began to spread through his chest.

 

Many pictures showed his younger sibling though. Here and there were a few pictures of his friends, his aunt or Mochi. But Hiro was present on every second picture. Grumpy. Annoyed. Smiling. Sticking his tongue out. Sleeping. Proudly standing in front of a new invention of his.  
At the beach.

 

Gulping, Tadashi stared at the picture which he took on their last holiday at the beach.  
Hiro was shirtless, and his swim trucks clung to his skin, showing every curve of his body.  
The water drops which were placed on his creamy chest, glinted in the sun. Tadashi bit his lip, ready to scroll further, but he didn't. His thumb slowly stroked the picture. 

//...Doesn't he just look delicious?~// The voice stated in his mind, slipping of its cage, latching onto his brain.

 

Tadashi wanted to stop stroking his thumb around the digital photo of his younger sibling, but he couldn't. It was like he was possessed. The voice kept whispering, luring him in, cheering him on.

// Tadashi~.. Tadashi~~~ Tadashi~..think about how he would shout out for his big brother~~moaning your name~..all wet~..and flushed~.. //

 

Involuntary, the older Hamada's hand wandered down his own trousers, slipping beneath his underwear, as his eyes were practically glued to the picture of his half naked little brother.

 

The voice in his head, filled his mind with dirty fantasies and Tadashi was too weak to lock it away. He was too powerless, to make it stop. To resist. Heat cursed through Tadashi's veins, collecting in his lower body, as he grabbed his member, firmly started, stroking himself, masturbating, as the monster continued to feed him with his forbidden fantasies.

 

The heat increased. It was getting unbearably hot. Tadashi kept firmly stroking his member as his eyes were glued onto the digital picture in front of him. He pressed the screen nearer to his face, and opened his mouth, imaging licking the water drops from Hiro's skin, as Hiro kept panting under him, grasping out his name. The name of his big brother.

 

With a groan Tadashi came in his trousers, feeling the white substance under his finger tips.

 

Exhausted, he lied down on his bed. His mind was blurry, still trying to comprehending what he'd just done, but it was late, far too late for his mind to recover as a painful sound ripped through his brain, making him fall on his knees. He clenched his bandaged hands powerfully, hoping for the pain to distract him, but he didn't feel anything. 

 

The cage broke and the monster laughed. 

 

// ....satisfied..not satisfied..You’re not satisfied....foxy~..foxy~...in need...distraction...go to.. Royal Masquerade..~..delicious treat.... waiting for you~....//

 

The voice lulled him in, putting his brain onto autopilot. 

 

The older Hamada unwrapped the bandage off his hands and put some black fingerless gloves on them which Gogo bought him once as a present. Silently, without making any noise he sneaked out of the Lucky Cat Cafe and stepped into the night life of San Fransokyo. The raven mask was hidden under his black shirt.

 

His cap rested on his bed.

 

~~~~~~~~~~


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WAIT!...please note:  
> *......* -> someone's thoughts  
> ''......'' -> somebody speaks  
> //...// -> Tadashi's other side  
> §...§ -> Hiro's other side  
> \----- -> indicates part of the 'bad guys'  
> ~~~~ ->indicates transition
> 
> :D yay~ FINALLY the new chapter arrived~
> 
> Thanks for patiently waiting for this chapter. :D And for all those wonderful comments and kudos.<3 Especially from *~Jimmy~*, *~MuteHero86~*,*~HaDashi I love you~* and *~Plain_Blue_Nightinglae~* ( Really guys, it boosted my motivation greately, reading your comments on chapter 17 ;D)
> 
>  
> 
> Well~..Dear reader ;3 I wish you fun with reading the stuff below~
> 
>  
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Uncertainty grabbed a hold on Hiro as he stood in front of the big house of his red haired friend. Even if he was here physically, mentally he was at the Lucky Cat Cafe. Upstairs. Beside Tadashi. Watching a movie or talking about robotics. Maybe also talking about this strange man, who called himself Steven Heartnet. His business card still rested in the left pocket of Hiro's blue hoodie.

 

''Hiro? Aren't you coming in?'' Akira's voice drifted through him, like through cotton wool.

 

''Yes, of course.'' Hiro answered smiling as the message finally arrived at his brain.  
He began to make his way towards the house, following Akira to his room. The younger Hamada opened his back pack, retrieving some math books and placing them onto the long black table, which stood beside the bed, before gesturing Akira to take the seat next to him, like it was his own room and not Akira's.

 

The red haired punk laughed at Hiro's behavior. 

 

''Are you sure, your majesty that a lowlife citizen like me, can dare to commit such an outrageous crime and pester your mighty highness with my unworthy presence?''  
Akira questioned with a degree of humility while he implied a bow.

 

Hiro stared at him. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

 

'' I, Hiro Hamada, ruler of San Fransokyo, slayer of all the robotic dragons and annihilator of all the dangerous gummy bears, allow your unworthy presence to pester my humble self''  
The younger Hamada announced nasaly with a feigned tone of arrogance in his voice. Akira thought it was pretty impressive, how Hiro managed to radiate regalness from his sitting position. The difference in body height did no harm to his dominant appearance.

 

A few seconds passed and the friends burst out laughing.

 

''Haha...good one'' Akira stated breathlessly, while he patted Hiro's shoulder, showing his appreciation. After he calmed himself down, he took his offered seat next to the sixteen year old. The punk opened his exercise book and showed the younger Hamada all of his mathematical problems as well as mistakes.

 

It took Hiro only a few seconds to analyze the root of Akira's tripping hazards.

 

''So...how was your day?'' Akira asked suddenly, disturbing Hiro's train of thought.

 

''Smooth move, mister. But the small talk should wait, till you can answer at least 61% of my given tasks correctly'' The younger Hamada countered sweetly, dodging the question in the process.

 

''Look who's talking about smooth moves'' Akira declared with a knowing look in his eyes.  
''But I guess you're right. I should concentrate a bit more. This upcoming exam next Monday is really important for me'' He added, while he took a pencil in his hand and stared eagerly at the younger Hamada who flipped through the exercise book. 

 

Hiro took a closer look at the dates which were written on the right corner of each exercise.

 

''Aaand...don't you think, starting to learn sooner for your so called important exam, would've been much more productive ?'' Hiro asked dryly, raising his left eyebrow in a suspect manner, pointing with his index finger on the last date which was written on the right corner.

 

''You didn't learn at all, did you?'' The younger Hamada concluded, furrowing his brow.  
''Let me guess: You played video games the whole time, didn't you?'' The sixteen year old spoke, crossing his arms in front of his chest. His brown eyes stared at the red haired punk who started to chew nervously on his pencil. 

 

*..If looks could kill...* Akira thought, as his survival instincts kicked in.

 

''I really wanted to. I swear! But then, I remembered that I had to lead my allies safely through the dangerous area of 'Left for dead', helping them to fight the nasty undead creatures!''  
Akira exclaimed quickly, holding his arms up in defiance, as if Hiro's stare was a grenade which he had to block. 

 

His antics indicated the younger Hamada that he hit the bull's eye with his suspicion.

 

Hiro could only sigh. He slowly shook his head, before he took his own pencil in his right hand, writing down twenty different formulas on the white sheet of paper in front of him. After he was finished, he turned his attention back to Akira and began to explain him the easiest solution possibilities to each equation.

 

Despite his earlier antics, Akira actually listened to him. The red haired punk absorbed Hiro's explanations like a sponge and asked him questions about what he should do if he was faced with different kinds of mathematical tripping hazards. 

 

Time just flew by and Akira finally gained the knowledge of how he should dissolve the x and all its variables. Hiro didn't even notice how dark it was getting, until Akira got up and turned the light switch on. 

 

Satisfied, the eighteen year old sighed contently, before he stretched himself happily, putting his arms above his head, yawning.

 

''I think, I finally got most of the stuff'' He declared, grinning. The tattooed punk bowed down in front of Hiro, signalizing his gratitude.

 

''Now we can come to fun part....'' With a swift motion Akira grabbed his remote and switched his television on. The younger Hamada heard the sound of a disc being placed into an electric device.

 

''I guess, you've earned it yourself. You were an honor student today Mr. Akira Kurosaki, but get ready to get your ass kicked'' Hiro declared smiling, before putting the math books back into his backpack, closing the zip and joining Akira on the couch. 

 

The screen glowed in a bright light, as the background music sounded from within the expensive loudspeakers of the room. Hiro never asked Akira about his financial situation nor how he managed to get the most expensive technological stuff into his room. But he also didn't want to know. He was friends with Akira. And not with Akira's money.

 

Hiro turned his attention to the screen in front of him, reading the blue letters 'START' which appeared on the television screen. He pressed the play-button and his fingers moved in lightening speed over the buttons of his controller, ordering his 2D figure to make the most riskiest and fastest attack combinations in order to put its enemy down. He snickered as he saw how Akira struggled to prevent his downfall. 

 

In act of compassion, Hiro pretended to have a moment of weakness so that his red haired friend could feel a little more confident.

 

''ARgh!'' Akira expressed loudly as the red letters 'YOU LOSE' appeared on his part of the screen.

 

Hiro tried to muffle his laugh. But he failed. His shoulders shook as he laughed with his whole body. Akira kept grumpily staring at him, arms crossed in front of his chest, offended by his younger friend's reaction. As a consequence, the younger Hamada laughed even harder, rolling on his back in the process. 

 

''Just wait. I will get my revenge!'' With a playful growl Akira surged forward and grabbed Hiro's left knee, wanting to draw him closer. The fabric of the trousers rode up, revealing the white bandage on Hiro's leg. 

 

His still injured leg. The sixteen year old winced in pain, as a hand came in contact with his injury.

 

On reflex, Akira dropped Hiro's knee. ''Oh god. Hiro ..I'm sorry...I...I didn't know..I..'' The red haired stuttered ruefully, looking straightly into Hiro's eyes.

 

''Don't worry. You couldn't possibly have known about my injured knee. I should have told you sooner'' Hiro declared reassuringly. 

 

The younger Hamada couldn't suppress a hiss as the rough fabric brushed over the bandaged knee, while he adjusted the fabric of his trousers back to its original place. 

 

''This happened yesterday'' Hiro stated, feeling like he owned Akira an explanation.

''I was searching for my older brother. On my way to him, I carelessly tripped over a stone and fell onto something sharp.'' Hiro added, before he patted his knee, as if it was a dog, who should stop yelping and stop sending pain to his nervous-system.

 

''It happened on the day, on which you left so hurriedly, didn't it?'' Akira guessed, hitting the bulls eye.

 

Hiro could only nod.

 

''Tadashi didn't take our argument well.. He felt bad about yelling at me and thought that I was still mad at him. Therefore, he didn't want to come home. He drove to the cemetery....That's where I found him..Lying in the rain...'' Hiro explained slowly, biting his lips as the memory of his unconscious older brother, lying motionlessly in the rain, flashed through his mind. 

 

*Tadashi...such a fool.* Akira thought condescending, before painting an expression of worry on his face. ''But now your brother is alright, isn't he?'' He asked, faking sympathy. The red haired knew, if he wanted Hiro's companionship, he'd have to show him that he was also worried about his older brother.

 

''Yes, I think so'' Hiro replied smiling. 

 

''Ah..right!'' Akira looked like a brainwave hit him. ''Hiro by the way, I forgot to ask you about the reason, why you didn't answer your cellphone. I was worried that something might have happened to you'' The eighteen year old stated, looking questioningly at the radiant chocolate brown eyes in front of him.

 

''I'm sorry Akira. I was still lying in my bed in the morning. Tadashi picked up my cellphone and must have accidentally clicked on the red button.'' The younger Hamada mentioned.

 

*..Right. Accidentally..smooth move creepy big brother...* Akira thought grimly while he plastered a smile on his face. ''Well..such things can happen. Don't worry''

 

''Thanks'' Hiro stated, smiling to his friend. 

 

Suddenly something sharp pierced through Hiro's mind, it was like a high-pitched tone in his head. If his head was to be made out of glass it would shatter. Just as Hiro was about to scream the high-pitched scream left as fast as it appeared, leaving a strange prescience behind.

 

§...oh~ kid..relax~...think about the way~... Tadashi almost pressed his lips on yours~ § 

§..you wanted him to~...still want you big brother~...I know ~§

§..come on~...give me some control~..it will be alright~..§

 

The candy-coated voice whispered sizzling in Hiro's head. It was scary, how it almost sounded like his own. Only it felt like somebody took his voice and dipped venomous sugar all over it. Poison, which will flow through your nervous-system, if its already too late to comprehend its danger.

 

Like right now.

 

The pain came suddenly. And it was agonizing. Like someone stabbed his brain with a hot iron bar. It pierced through his mind, drilling every thought away. Hiro held his head, like he feared it was going to burst into tiny little pieces, splattering everywhere like the brains from the zombies which Akira killed in his apocalyptic games. 

 

Everything in the room became bright and blurry for a moment.

 

The couch, the chairs, the television and Akira. As the brightness faded and the blurriness became clearer, Hiro didn't feel like himself anymore. The haughty voice in his head laughed. Still sounding disturbingly like his own, only a little different. Predatorily.

 

''Hiro..are you alright?'' Worriedly Akira glanced at the ebony haired sixteen year old. He dropped his controller and placed his hands on Hiro's lithe shoulders, leaning slightly down in order to inspect the sixteen year old closer, searching with his eyes for the source of pain.

 

The lines of Hiro's distressed face smoothed out and the younger Hamada opened his chocolate brown orbs, looking at him through half lidded eyes. His dark lashes framed his radiant amber eyes like a painting. Like a masterpiece. A smile slowly curled its way up to Hiro's sinful lips. 

 

Akira gulped at the sight in front him.

 

''Everything is just wonderful~'' The younger Hamada breathed out in an appetizing sizzling voice, leaning slightly against Akira. His face was in close proximity to the one of the red haired punk. The eighteen year old gulped once again. Since the day he met the younger Hamada, he always viewed him as something beautiful. 

 

But right now, he was downright irresistible. 

 

''Akira...may I ask you a favor~?'' Hiro purred, as he slowly licked the bottom half of his own lips, watching how Akira's eyes trailed along, following the movement of his tongue.

 

The tattooed eighteen year old could only nod, blush appearing on his cheeks. He was ready to do anything, this gorgeous being in front of him would ask him to do.

 

And the gorgeous being in front of him knew that too. Hiro placed one hand under Akira's chin and turned his face deliberately to the side. Then he leaned closer to his right ear.  
''Could you cover me tonight till 1am~?'' His hot breath brushed against Akira's ear.  
''Pretty please~?'' He added with a husky undertone, smuggling a needy pitch into his voice.

 

Again, Akira could only nod, like he was under some sort of spell.

 

''Great!'' Hiro expressed loudly, throwing his hands in the air like he won a prize. ''You're the best!'' The younger Hamada declared as he gave the red haired punk a big hug and darted towards his backpack, pulling out his cellphone, quickly typing new messages to aunt Cass and to Tadashi.

 

§..Soon..we will have much fun~...§ The sugar-coated voice purred in Hiro's head.

*Yes..* Hiro thought dazed, allowing his thoughts to be mixed up with the one's of the fox.

 

Akira stood puzzled in his room. His mind was still comprehending what just had happened.  
For him, it seemed like a hallucination. There is no way that Hiro could be...could be..so..seductive. 

 

As the punk's mind tried to put the pieces back together, Hiro was already finished with typing his messages. As the younger Hamada read on his cellphone screen '-Love you too, bonehead-' from his older brother he felt a suffocating heat, bursting in his heart. He wanted to dart back, back to the Lucky Cat Cafe and throw his arms around his big brother, pulling him close. He would show him, show him, just how much exactly, he, his little brother loved him back.

 

* NO! Leave him alone!* Hiro shouted in his head, trying to regain the control over his body again.

 

§..heh~..don't you worry~..I know you aren't ready...yet~ ..but even so~ I want to have a little fun...that's why we're going to the Royal Masquerade~..§ The fox purred sizzling in Hiro's mind. His venomous sugar coated voice seeped through Hiro's veins, taking control.

 

With fast typing fingers the younger Hamada sent a message back to his older brother.

 

The sixteen year old took all the math books out of his backpack and stashed them on the table. ''I won't need them in the place in which I'm going~'' He purred over his shoulder, to a dumbfounded Akira. Without waiting for an answer the sixteen year old already slung his backpack over his shoulder and waved Akira good-bye. Whistling as he left the big house.

 

* What did you just do to Akira?* Hiro questioned as the fox continued to whistle with his voice.

 

§...I did what you've also could've done sooner~ I persuaded him with my charms.~§

§..Didn't you notice his occasionally touches? Or the way he looks at you?~ It's obvious...The way he's head over heels for you, darling~ and it really comes in handy when you need his service~....§. The sugar-coated voice purred.

 

* How could you to this! This is terrible! Its like you hypnotized him!! Its awful!* Hiro raged, trying to fight against the strong pull of the voice.

 

§...It's not awful~..it's natural~ those with the given power, will use it~, sooner or later~....whether they want it~ ....or not~ §

§...Kid~... I just fail to see... how you fail to see~ how awesome this whole thing is!~§

§.. Don’t you enjoy the power, which you can have over somebody else?~..§ 

 

The sizzling voice laughed huskily. The mask in the depths of Hiro's backpack seemed to laugh to. Their laughter increased, creating a strange melody, sandwiching Hiro in between. Something about this laughing was hypnotizing. Without even noticing Hiro accompanied them. The people which he passed on the street, stared at him with their eyes wide open, like he was a maniac.

 

Their expressions made him laugh even more. He smiled and blew them a kiss. Looking with a daring expression into their eyes. Some of them actually halted or collided with the streetlight. Others waved awkwardly back. 

 

It was strange, but seeing their reactions made Hiro acknowledge the new power, flowing through his veins. It made him feel strong and imperious.

 

\---------

Steven Heartnet gulped. Fear got a hold of him as he stared with disbelieving eyes at the screen of his monitor. He rubbed his tired eyelids, hoping the numbers would decrease by his action. But the numbers remained the same. *98%!! By both!! Oh no! How could this happen?!* Quickly, the blonde man began to type new codes into his computer program, anticipating to change the unpreventable result. 

 

But the numbers which appeared on the screen, didn't differ from the previous ones. Steven felt like the numbers were mocking him. Laughing at his fruitless attempts.

 

He knew, he needed to contact the Hamada brothers as fast as possible, before it was too late. It was quite a hard work, but he finally hacked himself into the tracking system of their cellphones. Horror washed over him as he realized where the blinking points were heading

 

Deep down he knew, it was only a matter of time till the organization found out what he was doing. He needed to disappear. Right now. He couldn't do anything to help them, if the organization realized, what he'd been doing this whole time. Quickly. Cleaning all his clues, Steven Heartnet collected his papers together and put his iPad into his silver briefcase. He needed to get out. 

 

Time was ticking.

 

\--------------

Meanwhile Violet Green sat in her favorite chair. Her white lab coat was draped over the armrest. With venomous green eyes, she leaned back and inspected the numbers, which were shown on the monitors. Close. She was so close. It would be only a matter of time till the subjects would exceed the 99%.

 

She adjusted her glasses and smiled.

 

But something was still bothering her. With a swift movement, she pressed the red button underneath her table. Not even two seconds later, a man entered the room. He was one of her many personal security guards. He wore dark gray clothes and had broad shoulders.  
If one was to look close enough, one would notice the gun which he hid professionally in a holster beneath his jacket.

 

''Is there a problem, Miss Green?'' He asked as he calculatedly eyed the room from head to toe. From right to left. Already expecting a threat which should be eliminated immediately.

 

''Well...not now. I'd like to ask you a favor. Could you please sent Mr. Heartnet to my room?  
I know that you aren't supposed to be my secretary but I need the information which he promised me to obtain...'' She spoke in a slow and politely voice, but there was a distant coldness in her tone.

 

''Mr. Heartnet?...'' The guard suddenly questioned, his face paled.

 

''Mr. Heartnet left the facility twenty minutes ago, he said he had an important business to take care off...'' The voice of the guard got quieter with every pronounced word. His shoulders were slumped down guiltily. He looked stricken.

 

Violet Green never lost her cool. But when she did, she could be crueler than any natural catastrophe could ever dare to be.

 

''WHAT?!'' She screamed in a high pitched tone, making the guard in front of her flinch.

 

''How could this happen?! Such incompetence can not be tolerated.'' With a fluid motion, she took out her own gun and shot her security guard, without even blinking an eye, right through his head. The shot reverberated through the room. The green eyed woman was grateful to have walls, which were so thick that no noise could seep out of it.

 

The guard's eyes were still wide open and filled with terror, as his body hit the floor with a loud thud. It was a clean head-shot. Blood dripped down hesitantly out of the small wound in his head, as if it was fearing to come out. 

 

Violet Green put her gun into its original place and sighed. She took the walkie-talkie into her hand and gave command. ''Jeff? Simon? Code YeL3.0.'' She stated with a neutral tone, again adjusting her glasses in the process. Her voice was calm, even relaxed, like she didn't kill a human being a few seconds ago.

''Understood!'' Both of her minions replied.

 

Simon and Jeff knew what Code YeL3.0 meant. A traitor had to be caught and silenced. They couldn't risk that somebody ran around freely who knew about the experiment. Even if they had connections to the government and the Yakuza. These connections wouldn't safe them from public reactions.

 

Violet Green gave her minions the required information, which they would need to hunt Steven Heartnet down, through the electric device. It was strange. Her instincts betrayed her for the first time. It was a pity that Steven Heartnet didn't have any persons which meant something for him. 

 

So they couldn't be used, to blackmail him. But the woman knew, she would make his life a living hell either way, when her minions caught him.

 

What left the venomous woman wondering, was the reason behind the decision of her lab assistant to runaway. *Maybe it is connected to the identities of subject RA2015 and FO2015?* Questioningly she stared at both monitors.

 

After some time passed, she grinned. It didn't matter. Their identities would be revealed sooner or later anyway. Her workers in the lab below put extra pressure on their brainwaves today. Even if they tried to. Subjects RA2015 and FO2015 wouldn't withstand the pull of the electromagnetic signal.

 

Without looking down, she overstepped the dead body on the floor and opened the ironed door. ''Could you please clean up my room? There is vermin.'' She asked the guard which was standing near her door. The guard nodded, submitting to her command while she headed for the main entrance of the facility.

\----------------------------------

.....

~~~~~~~~~~~~

With a daring smirk on his lips, Hiro made his way through the shady corners of San Fransokyo. The sixteen year old already had changed his clothes at the public restroom at the nearest restaurant. Confidently, with head held high, he passed the people on the streets. Normally, he would try to stay in the shadows as much as possible, but not now. Not tonight.

 

IT didn't want to stay in the shadows. IT wanted to be in the center of attention, practically bathing in the amount of lustful stares which prickled down his back. While Hiro felt like a prisoner inside his own body. Unable to do anything to regain the control, which the fox took from him. And the worst part is: Hiro liked it.

 

Not having to think or to worry about the next step you take, can be kinda refreshing. Really refreshing. The fox didn't have any sense of responsibility nor guilt. Guilt which would be nagging at Hiro right now for lying to his big brother again. As well as guilt for seeking the warmth from somebody else. From Raven.

 

§...Don't worry~ you will enjoy it~..§ The purring voice resonated through Hiro's head, putting his consciousness on autopilot-mode once again.

 

Familiar darkness greeted the fox masked boy like an old friend, as he strode through the dark corridor which was enlightened by a single green light, coming from the lantern in his hand.  
This time he was not accompanied by the cat masked wearing girl named Kitty.  
He also didn't need to. He already knew the place as well as the robotic mechanisms of his Megabot.

 

He entered the grand hall of the Royal Masquerade. The rhythm. The sound. The bass. The swirling lights. Everything seemed to grab a hold on his mind. His hips were deliberately swinging to the rhythm as he passed the masked people which danced to the sound. Beneath the masks, mouths were smiling drunkenly and eyes were glinting behind the custom made accessory. 

 

Hiro would've think it was strange, if his rationality would function correctly. Of course, since the first day he took a step into the club the masked crowd was very expressive with its dance moves. But today, it seemed almost sexual in an animalistic way.

 

§...Can you feel it~..?§ The fox purred as the sixteen year old walked forward, searching, hunting.

 

The sound which came from the loudspeakers seeped deep into his bones. Alluring, yet tempting it mixed with his mind ordering him to lose himself in the music.

 

He was dancing in the dark. He danced through the masses. He was unable to resist. He felt a pull. Like an electromagnetic field which pulled him closer. 

 

Suddenly rough hands grabbed his hips. Hot breath ghosted against his neck and a familiar musky yet fresh scent hit his nose. * Raven* Hiro thought and the fox smiled. Electric sparks tingled on the spots which where touched by the fingerless leather gloves, inducting lava through his veins, setting his body on fire.

 

''Did you miss me...foxy?~ '' A raspy voice asked him, practically growling. Hot breath whispered against his ear, as a tongue deliberately licked a trail along his soft ear lobe.  
A shiver ran down the younger Hamada's spine. He arched his back, pressing his backside closer to the muscular chest, which held him close.

 

''Of course, Raven~'' The sixteen year old purred, before turning himself around. Now eye to eye with the broad shouldered, raven masked young man, who smiled predatory at him. The brown eyes behind the mask glinted, clearly pleased with recognition. 

 

The younger Hamada bestow him with an inviting smile as he put his hands on the broad black clothed chest, pulling him closer. His hips were swinging to the rhythm as he danced with the man in front of him. Strangely familiar and yet alluring two pairs of brown eyes were locked together as the music held them captive. The song played and it pulled them in.

 

The fox masked boy slowly licked his bottom lip, pleased, as he noticed a pair of dark cinnamon eyes, following the movement. Seductively, he started to wrap his arms around Raven's neck, pulling him down. Their lips were separated by one ounce. Both were breathing in, each others breaths. The warm damp cloud created by their breathing, tingled down Raven's chest.

 

''When you're ready come and get it~ '' The fox masked boy proposed with a haughty mouth-watering voice. His breath ghosted over the lips of the young male in front of him. 

 

The sixteen year old gasped as a daring tongue traveled along his bottom lip, before rough lips were locked with his own and strong hands increased their grip on his hips. ''Hm..Mhh~'' He moaned against the mouth. Tingles were shooting from his lips, down the entire length of his body. 

 

§...More..more..~§ The fox masked boy was lost in a haze. His heart was hammering against his ribcage as the tongue slid once again against his lips. Parting them this time, prying his mouth open.

 

Both moaned as their tongues met halfway. The fox masked teasingly rubbed his tongue against the one of the twenty-three year old. Enjoying the wet heat, the masked figures started to fight for dominance. Raven's hands traveled further down, hungry grabbing the appetizing well-shaped buttocks of the sixteen year old, squeezing them beneath his rough hands. The action causing the younger boy to gasp and to lose his dominance, allowing Tadashi to invade his mouth further, slamming his tongue fiercely against his dance partners.

 

The action caused the younger Hamada to see stars. He was on fire. And Raven was his gasoline.

 

§...So you wanna play the game~....§ A wicked sugar-coated voice echoed through Hiro's brain as he got offensive, surging forward, thrusting his midsection against the lower body of Raven. Rubbing delicately against the jeans, while synchronizing his movements to the beats of the music which filled his mind, making him unable to stop his actions. 

 

The twenty-three year old gasped, allowing the younger boy to take the lead, his tongue pressing against the corner of his mouth, before he slid it out and nibbled carefully on his bottom lip. The hands behind his back continued to massage his backside as the younger Hamada brushed the Raven's midsection in deliberate circles, tuning to the rhythm of the music.

 

The sensations. The touches. The heat. It was to much. As the fox masked boy looked up, he saw his own lust, mirrored in the eyes of the raven masked stranger. The lust fueled the fire within his body. Every touch was like a blazing flame, leaving his body flushed and greedy for more.

 

Hiro gasped against the mouth as the Raven pulled him again in a deep rough kiss. His tongue rubbed roughly against his own. Lava was flowing through his veins and his midsection began to ache painfully in his trousers. §...More..more...§ Foxy thought.

 

//More..more...// The raven thought as he roughly surged closer, increasing the friction which their brushed jeans created against each other. Enjoying the soft flesh beneath his fingers, feeling it even through the dark material of Foxy's jeans. Raven imagined what it would feel like to undress the gorgeous mouth-watering being in front of him. Imagined what it would be like to pull him even closer. To claim him. To relocate him into a state of bliss.

 

Just as he wanted to attack the neck of the fox masked boy, something vibrated against his midsection.

 

The vibration against his hip caused the younger Hamada to halt in his movements. His hands retreated from his hold onto Raven as his left hand slid into the pocket of his black jeans. With a swift motion he stared at the screen.

 

A note was attached to the alarm: - Hurry up! You gotta get back. Or Tadashi will worry!!-

 

*Ta..Tadashi...?* A pain pierced through Hiro's head, catapulting the fox out of his brain.  
§...No..what are you doing?~...§ The sugar-coated voice of the fox finally showed one ounce of anger.

 

*Tadashi...Tadashi...* Guilt swiped over Hiro, cleaning his mind from the fox and the strangely alluring music. He knew, he had to get back. Back home. He promised. He had promised Tadashi.

 

Rough hands were still holding his backside in place. Hiro's cheeks started to flush as he noticed in which situation he was currently in. Lust was still tingling in his veins, but he had to get back.

 

With a new resolve, he untangled himself out of the strong hold from the raven masked stranger. ''Sorry'' He mumbled as he looked into the dark brown eyes. With a swift motion he turned around and disappeared into the sea of masks. He darted towards the exit. A sudden sense of what was happening slowly spreading through his mind.

 

~~~~~~~~~  
But this time the raven masked was prepared. Just as the sixteen year old darted away, he followed him. He couldn't dance elegantly through the crowd and wriggle his way through the masses in the process like the fox masked did. No. He pushed the people which were in his way, simply out of the way, ignoring the indignant shouts of the ones who fell to the floor.

 

The heat was wreaking havoc in his mind and he knew it wouldn't set him free until he found his release. He didn't want to let go of him. He wanted to claim the fox masked boy. To mark the daring fox boy as his own so no one else would dare to place their dirty eyes onto the lithe curvy frame of the cream colored body. // Follow him~..follow him~...// A raspy voice whispered in his head, supporting his actions, letting him sink deeper into the havoc.

 

For a moment he lost sight of him. But the fragrance was still there. The sweet, spicy yet little musky fragrance which had radiated from Foxy's skin. The scent which the older Hamada had tasted on his tongue.

 

He followed the scent until a door came into his view. With a hard push he opened it.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

An arm caught Hiro as he was about to abandon the alley. A broad strong body pressed him against the rough surface of the wall, right next to the now closed back door of the club.  
Hiro yelped in surprise, fearing it might be some molester, he started to struggle against the strong hold.

 

Musk. Mint. Lemons.

 

The younger Hamada relaxed a little as his nose caught a familiar scent.

 

''..Just can't get enough of me, can't you?~..'' He unwillingly purred, as a raven masked young male bored his eyes into him. The fox's haughty laugh echoed through Hiro's brain.  
§..Good boy~..such a quick learner~..§ He whispered proudly into his brain. 

 

Hiro hated how his voice sounded right now. And how his own body pressed automatically against the stranger's, as if it was already seeking for the friction which he felt a couple of minutes ago in his presence. He wanted to fight. He didn't want to submit to his desires.

 

But the scent. 

 

The strong scent which was so familiar invaded his mind and held him captive once again and fire flowed through his veins. Hiro moaned as hot breath traveled down his neck and a raspy ''Yes~'' hit his ear. ''This time I won't allow you to get away, gorgeous~'' The deep voice of the raven masked boy tingled down Hiro's back, making him shudder.

 

Rough hands traveled down his body. Hands gripped his hips once again as a daring mouth  
invaded his mouth, tongue rubbing against his own. Hiro felt how a trail of drool left the corner of his mouth. The raven masked young male greedily licked it away, causing the younger boy to moan loudly.

 

It sounded very lewd in Hiro's ears but he somehow didn't care. With both hands he tugged the older boy closer, feeling the hammering heartbeat of his counterpart beating against his white tank top. 

 

With a groan the twenty-three year old's leg deliberately surged forward, parting the legs of the moaning being under him. Raven smirked as he noticed the hardness which he felt through the jeans. One hand cupped the cheek, the other hand grabbed his right thigh and slung it around his back, creating more space for their brushing heats.

 

Hiro moaned breathy, his hands clenching against the dark fabric of a broad cheat. The raven pressed closer till there was no space left. The younger Hamada was sandwiched between the stranger and the wall. Heat flowed though his veins, wandered south and ached painfully in his pants. 

 

With a swift motion he slung his left leg across the back of Raven. Moaning even louder as their bodies pressed against each other unbearably close. ''Hhaaa~'' Hiro moaned as the raven masked boy started to move forward, grinding their clothed erections together. 

 

''Nhhh...~'' The twenty-three year old groaned deeply against Hiro's mouth as he stared into the intense brown eyes, glinting in the streetlight which shone down on him. Despite the lewd noises which his red mouth made, he looked like an angel.

 

As the fox masked boy gasped a new, he opened his mouth was again, revealing his tooth gap. The older Hamada nearly lost it at the sight in front of him. Mercilessly he rammed his midsection against the fox boy's, causing them both to wince in pleasure. Raven pressed a kiss down to Foxy's jaw. And another one next to his neck. Deeply breathing in the sweet scent of his sweat as he begun to smother him with rough kisses. Sucking, biting down until the neck and shoulders of the younger Hamada was filled with different shaped hickeys.

 

With each hickey he was bestowed with a moan. His pants got tighter and tighter against his midsection as he brushed roughly their heats together.

 

''Mhh~...aahhh~'' The fox boy panted at the sensation.

 

He pressed his legs tighter against the Raven's back, surging him forward. Closer, more, he needed more. His mind was going crazy. He slung his hands tighter around the Raven's neck pulling him closer.

 

With a wet smack the older boy let go of his neck. Still moving him against the wall. Vigorously thrusting his hips forward.

 

Too much. It was just too much. 

 

Hiro pulled the raven masked boy closer, attacking his mouth with his tongue, prying it open, sliding in and out, creating a second mind blowing friction adding to the one brushing against his jeans.

 

The fox masked boy trailed his tongue back down along the broad neck, along the musky yet fresh scent of the body. Savoring the fragrance under the tip of his tongue.

 

The raven masked boy pressed even closer, animalistic rough hands grabbed both his thighs, pressing him hard against his midsection. The sixteen year old moaned breathy. Too much far too much to- With an extremely hard trust, Hiro bit roughly into the neck of the raven, muffling his scream of ecstasy as his mind was completely whipped blank and he came in his pants.

 

''Arghh..haa~'' The sharp pain of the bite also caused the raven masked male to lose his mind. With one hard long trust, he came in his dark blue pants, hands gripping tightly around delicate hips beneath him, surely leaving marks for the next days. 

 

Exhausted, his knees weakened, sliding slowly down to the hard concrete. The fox masked boy didn't have another choice than to follow him. He was short of air. The sixteen year old sat on the hips of the young male as he tried to gain control of his breathing.

 

The sharp intakes of breath next to him, indicated that the raven masked boy also needed to collect himself. This was way too intense. Hiro still tingled everywhere like electricity moved through his body. His mouth was filled with a strange metallic yet musky flavor.

 

Blood.

 

Apologetic, he licked the blood from the wound away, which he had inflicted upon the Raven's neck. The fox mask wearing boy, didn't know himself what drove him to such an act. He felt how a shudder went through the strong body beneath him, whose hands where still supporting him, holding him in place.

 

Said strong hands wandered from his back up to his face. Hands lingering on the fox mask on his face. His eyes were like magnets, pulling him close. The sixteen year old's breath hitched.  
The gaze which met his eyes was immensely intense. 

 

The fox masked boy, felt how the strong hands slowly unbound the mask on his face. With a thud the mask fell to the ground and the raven masked male was confronted with the one face, he expected at least.

 

''Hi....Hiro?'' The raven masked stuttered with his deep voice, the shock crippling his tongue. No this couldn't be. No this couldn't be, this couldn't be true. The voice. The monster must play another cruel trick on him. The Raven was paralyzed. He couldn't move an inch.

 

The sixteen year old stared at him, his flushed face suddenly going slack as he heard his whispered name. Only one person in the world said his name with such deliberate care. With such devotion. *No. Please no. This can't-this can't be true...* The younger Hamada took a shaky breath as his trembling hands came closer, unbounding the raven mask of the stranger's face.

 

Another loud thud echoed through the alley as the black mask fell to the ground, revealing the face of his older brother beneath. 

 

''Ta..Ta..Tadashi?'' Hiro whispered disbelieving.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

It was dark. 

 

The sound of two heartbeats seemed to reverberate throughout the dirty alley.

 

Two silhouettes sat on the ground. 

 

Unmoving. 

 

Paralyzed.

 

The kept looking at each other with their eyes wide open. 

 

Two masks lay beside them on the ground.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WAIT!...please note:  
> *......* -> someone's thoughts  
> ''......'' -> somebody speaks  
> //...// -> Tadashi's other side  
> §...§ -> Hiro's other side
> 
>  
> 
> ~Aaand I'm done. This chapter might be a little longer than the previous ones, but I wasn't a person with good structure skills to begin with xD Thanks for every Kudo and comment. Especially MuteHero86, keyara1229, Jimmy alias jimmywolfe ;)
> 
> Wish ya all an awesome day and fun with reading the chapter below.  
> ( Even though there will surely be a few mistakes as well as misspellings xD)
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~

The streetlight shone flickering onto the two Hamada brothers, plunging the pleasant darkness of the dirty alley into a sickly bright yellowish-color, which emphasized the shocked expressions on their faces. With every new unyielding flicker of yellowish light, Hiro's hope was destroyed anew. Thoroughly, again and again. 

 

The face of Tadashi didn't disappear. It didn't morph into an unfamiliar face with whom he wasn't blood related with. 

 

The contours in front of him, scrupulously remained the same.

 

Hiro's heart pounded madly against his ribcage. The sixteen year old trembled, his eyes were lingering on the familiar lines of his older brother's face. Tadashi looked utterly horrified. Despite his tall and broad-shouldered body, he looked as helpless as a little child.

 

As helpless as Hiro felt right now. 

 

Hiro's eyes knew what they saw, but his brain couldn't wrap itself around the cruel fact that he just made out with his older brother only a few moments ago.

 

Strong athletic arms which had pinned him against a wall, were now dangling, beside Tadashi's shoulders, like almost broken branches of a tree. Like foreign bodies that didn't belong to his anatomy at all. Hiro had placed his own arms tightly around his chest, striving to keep his trembling under control. 

 

Close. Hiro was still so close to Tadashi. He could count every sweat drop which glistered sensuously on his skin, if he wanted to. Even the one sweat drop, which dangerously slow rolled its way down to the collar of his black shirt. 

 

Right beside the collar, an angry red love-bite, pulsated on his older brother's neck. Hiro gulped slightly. The lovebite was a ruthless reminder, which came into being as Hiro was overwhelmed by his writhing orgasm, biting down Tadashi's neck, encouraged by the fierce thrusting of his clothed midsection against Hiro's own. 

 

Ejaculate fluid still clung villainously to Hiro, like a second skin. And it had been caused by Tadashi. By his older brother. The sixteen year old felt accurately, every drop of the cruel liquid in his underwear, as an unfortunate consequence of the fact that he was still sitting on the lap of the once raven masked male.

 

The younger Hamada backed away, suddenly realizing how explicitly close he was to his older brother. Electrified, Hiro scrambled away from Tadashi's lap. Terrified, he used his palms and knees to maneuver his body from the twenty-three year old. 

 

Without a warning, his brain started to wrap itself around the fact, in which situation he was currently in and with who. His mind bombarded him unwavering, with every touch he had shared impassionately with the raven masked male, who turned out to be his older brother. 

* Oh..god no..*

 

Hiro struggled for breath as each touch reeled off behind his inner mind. Petrified, he still gasped for breath as he commanded his limbs to move, bringing as much distance between him and his older brother as possible. Hiro's arms and legs brushed against the harsh cold ground as he backed away. 

 

The younger Hamada hissed, as his sore back came in contact with an immovable wall. 

 

*No... this can't be... this can't be happening.....* The younger Hamada thought with fear coiling in his stomach, reaming in his insides, weighting down upon him, like an enormous stone.

 

''Tadashi....'' Hiro whimpered the name of his brother as anxiety slowly crept beneath his skin. With shaking hands, he reached out for his face, starting to rub his eyes, trying to rub it all away. The alley. This feeling. But it didn't help. A panic attack forced its way upon his throat. 

 

''No..no..NO..'' The younger Hamada whispered, while his whole body trembled and tears prickled in his eyes like a burning chemical substance.

 

§..Ha~ha~ha~.. isn't it what you wanted to get?~§ The fox purred haughtily inside his head.

 

''Hi...ro..'' Tadashi said his name with a croaky voice, like he swallowed a bunch of rough paper down his throat.

 

The older Hamada saw how his younger brother trembled, holding his head like he feared, it was going to explode. His lithe figure pressed itself against the wall, appearing as if he was trying to morph with into the rough surface behind his back. As if he was trying to dissolve into thin air. 

 

Hiro whimpered anew, as fear brutally pounded in his heart and trashed wildly through his veins, like a wounded animal. The sixteen year old took a shaky breath. He closed his eyes, attempting to calm himself down. Trembling arms tucked up shaking legs, as the younger Hamada wrapped his arms around his knees and pressed them closer to his fluttering chest.

 

Tadashi's breathing almost stopped as he was confronted with Hiro's panic attack. 

 

The sixteen year old was trying to get a hold of himself as he bit his lip and began to rock back and forth. He hid his face behind his kneecaps, on which his head was currently resting against.

 

He kept whimpering, as he struggled for breath, like somebody was sitting behind Hiro and choked him, feverishly, trying to push every ounce of air out of his lungs.

 

Every new whimper and grasp was like merciless stab against his chest. Helplessly, Tadashi could only watch, how his little brother rocked back and forth as he tried to make himself as small as possible in the process.

 

''Hiro...'' Tadashi said his name, reaching out his hand towards his little brother. He stopped his movement, as he saw how Hiro violently flinched away. The younger Hamada threw his arms in front of his face, like he was trying to shield himself from Tadashi.

 

The flickering streetlight mockingly, revealed the older Hamada what he had caused. He saw Hiro's swollen lips, coming from deep rough kisses which Tadashi had inflicted upon him. The male stared speechless at the extensive amount of marks, which littered Hiro's lithe neck and his creamy shoulders. Every mark had a different shape and color but each one of them had something in common.

 

They were caused with the instinct to claim him.

 

//..Isn't he wonderful?~ Finally our precious baby brother all marked up~ // The raspy voice of the monster chuckled in his head, surrounding Tadashi's anxious mind with words stinging like prickles in his head.

 

*No. I couldn't possible have done this... this to my little brother...no..I..- * Tadashi looked from Hiro's trembling form to his own shaking hands. 

 

//..You already have~ and you enjoyed it~... dry humping him against the wall~..// The rough voice answered lecherously.

 

*This has to be another nightmare. Another bad dream.. The monster in my head is playing with the fragments of my mind again! There can't be another explanation..I couldn't...I certainly couldn't have done something like this to my baby brother...*  
Thoughts were buzzing inside Tadashi's head, creating a stormy tornado in his brain.

 

*I have to wake up. Wake up ...come on wake up..* The older Hamada raised one of his trembling hand, clenching it vigorously to a firm fist and slammed it unyielding against the skin of his face. Pain exploded near his chin, unfolding slowly in his mind, but Hiro's trembling lithe figure, didn't disappear in front of his eyes. The setting didn't change. He also didn't wake up in his bed.

 

*Not enough...not nearly enough...* Tadashi clenched his eyes shut as he raised his fist again and again.

 

WHAM! 

 

WHAM!

 

An ache sparked burning beneath his left eye and near his nose. It throbbed sharply, radiating hurt into his brain. He opened his eyes once again. The pain burned and his vision blurred as a negative result. To his dismay, Hiro's trembling form still rocked back and forth, while he tried to keep his breathing under control.

 

Realization, mercilessly seeped through Tadashi's veins like venom. His instincts were screaming. The older Hamada wanted to scramble closer to his precious baby brother. He wanted to hold him tight. He wanted to cease Hiro's pain. 

 

But he couldn't. He couldn't cease his pain, when he was the one person who was responsible. The one who was to blame for his suffering.

 

Self-loathing stuck its claws in Tadashi's heart, injecting a thumping self-disgust and a persistent self-hatred into his pulsating blood.

 

*..How despicable..* 

 

Tadashi raised his firm fist..

 

WHAM!

 

*..How could I do this?!*

 

Tadashi raised his bruised fist.

 

WHAM!!

 

With a roaring scream, he gathered all his self-loathing into his fist as he hit himself once again.

 

WHAM!!

 

*..How could I do this to my..*

 

Tadashi raised his aching fist.

 

WHAM!

 

*to...* Tadashi was ready to punch himself in the face once again, as a desperate scream tore through the night.

 

''NOO!!!'' 

 

Suddenly a warm soft hand appeared and caught his wrist in midair, preventing another punch to hit his bruised face. A sweet yet spicy fragrance ripped Tadashi out of his trance. With disbelieving cinnamon eyes, he stared at the lithe figure whom the cream colored soft hand belonged to. Somehow Hiro managed to overcome his panic and to crawl to his older brother. 

 

''Tadashi, please stop hurting yourself'' Hiro pleaded with a slightly hoarse voice, caused by his panic attack. Tears were streaming down the contours of his beautiful face, like little rivers as his big chocolate eyes lingered on Tadashi's aching face.

 

// So cute~..even after everything you did to him~ he still loves you~..// The monster laughed deeply accusing with his raspy voice inside Tadashi's mind.

 

''Hiro.. no...'' Tadashi gasped out, as his mind was trying to come to its senses. '' I've..I've earned this..I'm..I'm.. a terrible horrible big brother..how could I... could I do this..do this to-'' 

 

Tadashi clenched his free left hand to a fist and wanted to throw another punch at himself but Hiro must have seen it coming, because he caught his other hand too and prevented once again harm the face of the older Hamada.

 

Blood was already dripping out of Tadashi's nose, deriving from his earlier punches.

 

''Please...no..please don't... don’t hurt yourself...Dashi...'' Hiro muttered his nickname with tears in his eyes as one of his lithe hand's gently wandered to Tadashi's face, softly brushing the blood under his nose away. His chocolate brown eyes kept looking sad and lovingly at Tadashi's cinnamon colored eyes, as Hiro continued to clean the small red river of blood on his skin.

 

The soft gesture caused tears to fall from Tadashi's eyes.

 

'' We're gonna make it..Tadashi... everything will be alright.. we gotta sort this out..we're gonna make it...'' Hiro mumbled softly, his whole body was still trembling, as he stood on his knees and placed one of his hands around Tadashi's shoulders while he situated his other hand gently on the back of Tadashi's head, pulling his bruised face tenderly against his own lithe chest.

 

The solid light heartbeat of Hiro, resonated in the ear's of the older Hamada, as his head rested on the slender chest. The sweet yet spicy fragrance of his little brother surrounded him like a soft cotton blanket. Warm and comfortable. Hiro kept caressing Tadashi's short black hair as he muttered ''There...there...everything will be alright..'' 

 

A beautiful lie.

 

A lie in which Tadashi desperately wanted to believe in. He placed his trembling hands around Hiro's back and clung to him, like he was drowning and his little brother was his last remaining hope of survival. The younger Hamada kept caressing Tadashi's hair, appearing calm on the outside, in spite of the raging storm on the inside.

 

Seeing the way Tadashi slammed his caring hands, vigorously against his face, blossomed an assumption in Hiro. An assumption, involving the origin of the bruised capsules on Tadashi's hands. An origin which his older brother didn't want to share with him. Now Hiro knew the reason why. It was meant as a punishment. 

 

§..A punishment for loving you~baby~.§ The fox purred sizzling in the corner of Hiro's mind.

 

But the younger Hamada ignored the voice and kept caressing Tadashi's hair, trying to regain his composure. Trying to regain a piece of their familiar comfortableness back. The warm hands of his big brother still clung to his back, sending tingling sparks of electricity flowing through his veins. Hiro remembered how these strong hands pressed him against a wall and held his thighs in place.

 

§..Maybe you could kindly ask him to do that again~...§ The fox purred with his sugar-coated voice.

 

*Shut up.* Hiro took a shaky breath and closed his eyes, concentrating on the fresh, musky scent of his older brother, still stroking his short black hair lovingly.

 

Tadashi felt the cotton of Hiro's sleeveless hoodie beneath his fingertips. A bright red which underlined Hiro's creamy skin. A hoodie in which he had yet to sew new GPS trackers into, in order to keep Hiro safe.

 

//..safe..or controlled?~..give it up buttercup~..the harder you tried divert your attention from our gorgeous baby brother, the stronger you were pulled in his direction~// The raspy voice muttered from behind the cage, which Tadashi built inside his mind.

 

Tadashi shook slightly his head and buried his face into the white tank top of his little brother. Breathing in his lovely scent.

 

//..I can't believe, you didn't notice much sooner their similarities~... big brown chocolate eyes~.. long beautiful eyelashes~.. shiny ebony colored hair~..the sinful red mouth~... his tooth-gap~ and his light mouth-watering skin~..// The monster kept whispering with his raspy voice in his brain.

 

The older Hamada clung closer to Hiro. His heartbeat was beating frantic against his ribcage. In stark contradiction to the calm steady heartbeat of his little brother which sounded like a melody in his ear.

 

Out of the blue, a sharp piercing pain shot through Tadashi's head, like a gun.  
It was a familiar pain.

 

*No..No..no.* He thought, anxiety spread through his veins as the familiar hotness invaded his mind one's again, causing the lock of the cage to melt slowly away. 

 

// HaHAHaha~...too late~// The monster laughed as the pain consumed the mind of the older Hamada and tainted his judgment.

 

Hot waves spread through Tadashi's head like an army of little soldiers. Unbearable warm lava started to boil in his blood as he was still surrounded by the unique tempting scent of his younger brother.

 

The scent lured him in. 

 

Closer. He wanted Hiro so much closer. //...his skin will feel so soft against your finger tips~...flushed up he will moan your name as he writhes beneath you~ // The raspy voice groaned loudly, its vibration slowly fusing together with the hot pain expanding in his mind. 

 

Before Tadashi's own hands could even dare to put these immoral thoughts into action, he harshly broke out off Hiro's embrace.

 

''Tadashi..what..?'' Hiro asked hesitantly, disbelieving as his older brother shifted away and held his head in his hands. Tadashi's breathing was unstable, like he was a fish, gasping for air. A contradiction of its own. The twenty-three year old had a sorrowful expression painted on his face, as his thoughts tormented him. His insides twisted as his sick desires tried to lure him in, to make him succumb to his ill lust. 

 

The desire was getting stronger and stronger with each second that passed, knocking the breath out of him. He wanted to pull his little brother closer, wanted to claim him, to make him moan his name in pleasure. But Tadashi fought against the strong pull. Fighting against the sick raspy voice. Fighting against this hot piercing pain in his mind, which tried to take control over his consciousness. 

 

//...Hahaha~...come on~ it won't be that bad to lose control~come on~ submit to your desires~....// The voice stated raspy in his head as the lock of the cage finally melted away, slowly opening the cage, which Tadashi had built in his mind.

 

''Arghh!!'' He groaned in pain as the agony forcefully sent him forward, his forehead touched the ground. Tadashi's body was moving, as if it was trying to struggle against an invisible foe. 

 

''Hiro..Hiro..I..I'm so..sorry..'' Tadashi breathed out in sorrow, as the monster slowly took a step out of the cage. 

 

''..Tadashi?.. Dashi is everything alright?..'' Hiro's soft voice was suddenly right beside him. Lithe cream colored hands touched Tadashi's head gently.

 

''No! Don't touch me!'' Tadashi screamed loudly, jerking his head away from Hiro's touch.

 

The younger Hamada felt a pang of hurt in his chest, caused by his older brothers harsh rejection. But the pang of hurt was quickly replaced with steady determination. He couldn't let Tadashi suffer on his own. Not anymore. Hiro would not give up on him.

 

He reached out anew, not caring about the way his older brother flinched at the contact. After a few fruitless attempts, Tadashi gave up struggling against Hiro's soft hands.

 

''Please.. Hiro.. I need you to..to run away from me as fast as possible. Something..something's strange..something strange is happening to me and I ..I can't control it I-'' The older Hamada gasped out in pain as another hot wave of agony flowed through his mind. Tadashi knew, he wouldn't last long.

 

''I could get you hurt!! Please Hiro RUN!!'' Tadashi screamed at the top of his lungs as another wave hit him, leaving him nearly breathless. ''Please...let me be'' The twenty-three year old begged, whimpering.

 

''No. I won't leave you. I want to help you..please Tadashi. Let me help you..'' Hiro's soothing yet powerful words, made Tadashi whimper anew, because his words were filled with a strong determination.

 

The burning agony inside Tadashi's became almost unbearable.

 

Hiro took softly Tadashi's face into his warm palms. Big innocent brown eyes stared worriedly at the older Hamada. His mouth was slightly open, revealing his beautiful tooth gap.

 

And that action was the final straw. 

 

In the exact right moment, something in Tadashi broke. The cage in his mind dissolved and the monster chuckled with a delighted tone as he latched onto the mind of the older Hamada.

 

Tadashi closed his eyes. His breathing stabilized and his clenched hands, retreated from his head. The scrunched up lines in his face smoothed out and as he opened his eyes once again, it was like somebody put a dark curtain in front of them.

 

''...Ta...Tadashi?'' Worriedly Hiro stared at his older brother who suddenly smirked at him.

 

Without giving an answer Tadashi surged forward. With a deep groan on his lips, his hands reached out and pulled Hiro closer, placing him straightly onto his lap. The younger Hamada yelped at the sudden movement. 

 

''You wanted to help me~..so help me~ baby bro~'' The older Hamada stated with a raspy voice. His warm breath was ghosting over Hiro's ear, sending tiny little shivers down Hiro's spine.

 

''..Hm? You got excited little bro?~..I can make you feel even better~'' As if to underline his statement, his rough hands wandered tenderly down to Hiro's hips, gripping him tight as he surged forward, pressing their bodies agonizingly close together.

 

Hiro gasped as he felt something hard, throbbing against his bottom.

 

''Ta..ta... dashi? What... what are you doing?'' Hiro expressed stuttering, his cheeks turning red as Tadashi started to lick a trail against the hickeys on his neck as well as his shoulders. Surprise. Pleasure. Fear. All these sensations waved through his mind, mixing up, getting tangled up in each other. 

 

*This can't be real.. this man in front of me...this isn’t Tadashi...Tadashi would never..He would never do such a thing* The mind of the sixteen year old got stuck in a gutter.

 

§. ~ Hirrro~ why don't enjoy the moment?~§ The fox purred sizzling in his slightly husky voice.

 

Tadashi stopped licking trails against his skin. ''Hiro..I’ve wanted you..wanted you for so long..'' The older Hamada breathed out hoarsely as his breath brushed against Hiro's lips, sending sparks of electricity down through the pulsing veins of the sixteen year old. Hiro gasped, as a warm hand tilted Hiro's chin up. Craving dark eyes yearningly eyed up, every corner of Hiro's flushed face as they finally rested on Hiro's red sinful lips.

 

Hiro was indecisive. A natural disaster unfolded raging in his mind. His heart, his brain as well as his body were fighting for the throne of his consciousness. 

 

His heart was hammering wildly against his chest. And burning flames crawled their way down to his southern regions. He wanted it. He wanted this. For so long, but something was off. 

 

This wasn't right. It was utterly wrong. Gross even. 

 

But the rough warm hands and the wet tongue felt so good against his skin, sending lava cursing through his veins, setting his whole being on fire. With one hand, Hiro tried to push Tadashi off of him, his other hand clenched desperately around the black fabric of Tadashi's shirt, pulling him closer.

 

Hiro's head was a mess. He wanted to get as close, as well as far away as possible from his older brother at the same time. 

 

§....submit to your desires~....§ The fox whispered invitingly in the corner of his head.

 

Hiro stared in Tadashi's lust filled eyes. His cinnamon brown eyes, which turned darker. Tadashi bit his lip as his eyes were still glued on Hiro's lips, his rough hand were moving Hiro in deliberate movements, grinding him down onto his hard midsection. Hiro shuddered in pleasure.

 

In the twinkle of an eye, Tadashi darted forward, like an arrow, attacking Hiro's lips, like there was no tomorrow. With hungry movements, he pressed his warm lips against the one's of his younger brother. Hiro gasped at the sudden invasion.

 

Once again one of his hand's was trying to pull his brother closer, whilst the other one tried to push him away. 

 

This feeling. Hiro knew it wasn't right but it felt so good. The way electricity sparked from every touch of his older brother, pumping his mind full of ecstasy, trying to blow all of his thoughts away. Lava pumped through his veins wandering south. ''Ahh~'' Hiro moaned as the daring hands trailed from his hips to his bottom.

 

''So..beautiful..~'' Tadashi whispered with hoarse voice against Hiro's lips as he placed his mouth greedily on Hiro's, going for a deep rough kiss. Hiro felt a tongue trailing against his bottom lip, trying to pry his lips open. The sixteen year old shuddered at the sensation and  
an undeniable lust pulsated in his blood. He wanted to submit, wanted to fall into bliss without caring about the consequences. 

 

But something kept him from doing so. 

 

The fresh memory of Tadashi, lying whimpering on the ground, flashed through his mind. He had begged for Hiro to run away from him. *..did Tadashi knew what would happen?*

 

§..Stop thinking darling~just enjoy the friction~§

 

Tadashi tried to pry Hiro's lips open with his tongue but Hiro suddenly shut his mouth vehemently as a thought pierced through his mind * What if Tadashi doesn't act this way on his free will...what if he is being controlled?*

 

§..stop thinking~§ The fox purred in his mind as Tadashi kept showering him with kisses. But Hiro couldn't enjoy it. Wrong. To him this whole situation seemed just downright wrong. Every kiss which Tadashi pressed on his lips wasn't an act of his own love for Hiro. It could be an act obedience.

 

Sick. Hiro felt sick. As if Tadashi was befallen with an illness and he, himself, was so twisted and went on and exploited Tadashi's weak state. *This isn't right..this isn't right..I wanted to..I wanted to..but we're siblings! This isn't right! And he isn't himself right now! It's like I'm using him..*

 

Reluctance flowed through Hiro's veins, as the younger Hamada disconnected the kiss, while he ripped himself out of Tadashi's tight embrace, wriggling himself out of his strong arms as he hurriedly crawled out of his lap.

 

Tadashi looked at him with his eyes wide open. His eyes were still dark with lust and his cheeks were flushed, his strong arms suddenly spread out. ''Hiro~come back..big brother needs you so much closer~'' He rasped out with a deep voice.

 

Hiro stood up, with shaking legs. 

 

It sacred him how a part of him still craved Tadashi's touch.  
'' I'm sorry Tadashi, but I can't do this... this isn’t right and this... this person standing before me...this isn’t you and this-'' Hiro gestured with his finger to himself. ''This isn't me..I ...I..''  
Before Hiro could break down into a sobbing mess, the pile of anxiety rushed through him like a snow avalanche. Increasing his senses. His instincts. Especially his flight instinct.

 

He turned his back to his older brother and ran away, disappearing into the night. 

~~~~

 

Hiro ran through the streets like a mass murder was on his way to kill him. His heart beat unchangeable quickly against his chest, as he ran forward, not having an explicit destination he could head to. He ran from the stranger, from Tadashi and from the most dangerous person of them all.

 

Himself. 

 

The younger Hamada felt how the fox was tugging at his mind, trying to lure him back into the arms of the person who took control over his older brother's body. He turned right. Turned left. Turned right again. He didn't know where his feet were carrying him, he just wanted to get away as far as possible. 

 

Out of the blue, firm hands appeared out of the shadows and manhandled him against the wall, holding him down. He squeezed his eyes shut and gasped. Pain was tingling down his spine, caused by the rough surface, which brushed against his slightly bruised back. With sick hopefulness, the younger Hamada opened his eyes, trying to see the familiar outlines of Tadashi's face. 

 

But as he saw the figure which manifested itself out of the shadows he wanted to squeeze his eyes shut again. *Shit I landed at the wrong part of the city*

 

The man standing before him was tall and had pitch black oily hair, which he had bound up into a small ponytail. He certainly has lost some pounds and finally decided to change his stupid tracking suit into a dark suit with a red tie which was more convenient for a Yakuza.

 

Standing before him was no one other than Yama Yamamoto. 

 

The hands which were holding him down, seemed to belong to minion one and minion two. Well scratch that. Hiro was already renaming minion one into Pig-face, because of certain reasons that involved the strange roundness of his face. And Minion two into Puke, because his pale greenish sort of face looked like somebody puked all over it.

 

''Well, well if this isn't Zero? Finally deciding to show up after all this time? '' Yama laughed throatily as he came closer, invading Hiro's personal space. ''Well, well if this isn't the loser who lost against my Megabot hmm..how many times again? Twenty? And I was still fourteen that time, which means you've lost repeatedly against a teenager'' Hiro mocked Yama, while he tried to copy his voice.

 

He knew, he was treading on thin ice, but he couldn't help himself. Despite his high intellect, his brain somehow always chose the worst possibilities when it came to coming unharmed of a conflicted situation. His life would be a lot easier, if he could sometimes just put a bridle on his tongue to prevent himself from saying things which will definitely put him into serious trouble.

 

For example, if he just begged for forgiveness for invading Yama's territory and promised him to give him much money in return, things would've certainly turned out different. But Hiro was never one to submit to people like Yama. That's why the younger Hamada prepared himself mentally for the punch.

 

But no reaction came. 

 

Yama's eyebrows didn't even twitch. Hiro gulped slightly. Clearly, this calm reaction was not a good sign. ''Well, I have my ways to expel this disrespectful behavior of yours''  
Yama announced as his face came nearer. His breath reeked of dead fish. Hiro turned his head away, trying to hinder Yama to pester his oxygen with his presence.

 

An unnatural large hand came threateningly near his mouth, with a swift motion Yama held his chin up, forcing Hiro to look into his dirty black eyes. Hiro struggled. He didn't like the way Yama seemed to seize him up from head to toe.

 

''Hmm..look at that, seems like our little boy grew up'' Yama stated, tilting his head to the side. Pig-face and Puke started to laugh, Hiro noticed how four voices laughed with them, certainly four other minions of Yama, which were lurking in the shadows, as if they knew something which he didn't. 

And this knowledge alone, caused an uncomfortable twisting feeling in Hiro's gut. 

 

Slowly, he tried to wriggle his lithe arms out of the iron grip of Pig-face and Puke. But it was hopeless. Hiro was helpless against their sadly well balanced grip. They seemed to have graduated from Yakuza-school as the best pupils who can hold a person down. Yama's yukky hand started to tickle him under his chin, like he was a cat. Like he was HIS cat. 

 

Hiro had suddenly the unstoppable desire to throw up. In order to compensate his desire, he jerked his head away and bit down hardly on Yama's thumb. Hard enough to draw blood. 

 

''You..little..'' Yama groaned, as he jerked away his thumb raising his other hand. Hiro closed his eyes, ready for the impact, but he only felt a draft, caused by the impact of Yama's fist right beside his head. Hiro wanted to mock him, telling him that he missed, but as he ripped his eyes open, he saw the cracks forming out of the part of the wall which had collided with Yama's fist. 

 

As Hiro slowly turned to Yama, he noticed how his calm facial expression vanished. It was replaced by a look anger and something which Hiro couldn't quite place. Yama casually looked at his hand, like he was punching everyday cracks into walls, before he pulled a few parts of concrete out of his skin, flicking them away like annoying flies. 

 

''Well...little Hamada..I hope you understand that this-'' Yama pointed at the wall. ''-would be your beautiful head, if I would be in a bad mood tonight'' The tall Yakuza boss of the Bot fighting district, eyed Hiro up and down. ''I certainly must admit I like the look in your eyes Zero...puberty has done you good..''

 

With a fluid movement Yama turned away, turning his back to Hiro. Before the younger Hamada could breathe out relieved that the fish smell is finally out of his face, he noticed how Yama moved his index finger a little. An order which caused Pig-face and Puke to drag Hiro from the wall and near to Yama. Somehow, Hiro already missed the wall and the security that it gave his back.

 

Now every minion of Yama could easily stab him behind the back. Hiro tried to look on the bright side, for example how refreshing the cold night air felt against his back, but he couldn't. 

 

Slowly, a dreadful feeling washed through his mind. He was afraid. It was the first time in all of his encounters that he was feeling afraid of the Yakuza. It was the uncertainty which scared him. Sure, beaten to a pulp didn't sound very enjoyable, but it was still better than letting his brain calculate the worst possible outcomes.

 

Quietly, Yama turned to Hiro again, his angry expression disappeared and another one painted itself on his face. He deliberately licked his licks, his eyes still focusing on the younger Hamada. 

 

Goosebumps crept through Hiro's arms and he mentally cursed himself for wearing a sleeveless red hoodie which showed the irritated skin of his. He could certainly hold his poker face, but there were no such thing as a poker skin.

 

''..Fellows..what do think? Big brown innocent eyes. Sinful red mouth, dark long eyelashes and his lithe gorgeous slightly curved body..some people would pay a lot to have a jewel like him in bed to accompany them in cold nights....'' Yama paused waiting for a response. Out of the blue Hiro was being circled by four gray suit wearing Yakuza, who detached themselves out of the shadows and checked him up from head to toe like he was an object. Like wolves and he was their prey.

 

Hiro certainly didn't like being the prey. He froze as he felt a sweaty hands, touching his legs, his chest. One pair of hands was fondling his bottom. Hiro sharply inhaled '' If you don't move your filthy hands from my ass, I'm going to fucking tear your balls out of your body and shove them into your disgusting throat.'' The younger Hamada hissed through gritted teeth.

 

''..Feisty~..'' A voice breathed against his ear. Hiro struggled against the hold of Pig-face and Puke, both seemed very amused at his fruitless attempts.

 

''..Are all Yakuza such fucking wimps like you all? It's seven against one, if my mathematical skills don't disappoint me. And you're still to afraid to fight against a sixteen year old?'' Hiro laughed darkly, eyes focusing mockingly on the dead fish eyes of Yama.

 

''Kid..instead of beating you up, we could do much more profitable things with you and especially your body...you know..~ '' Yama stated throatily.

 

*oh..no..just fucking no.* Hiro was ready for everything but not this. The younger Hamada's gut clenched, he tried to wriggle his body out of the iron grip which held him in place as Yama came closer, his fish breath already ghosting over Hiro's lips.

 

''TADASHII HELP ME!! Hiro screamed desperately, suddenly realizing in which situation he got himself tangled up in. A sharp pain on his left cheek silenced him for a moment. Yama must have slapped Hiro across the face open handed, silencing his scream. After seeing what Yama had done to the wall, he counted himself as lucky.

 

''It is a pity that I have to do such things put we can't have you screaming now, can we?'' Yama stated rhetorically. His companions laughed like hyena. Some of them actually ruffled through Hiro's hair, as if he was already their pet. Hiro ripped his mouth open, wanting to scream anew, hoping for Tadashi to hear him.

 

A thick hand muffled Hiro's upcoming scream. Pig-Face stared at him with his tiny, piercing puddle colored eyes as he grinned menacingly at the sixteen year old boy. The others laughed at Hiro's desperate struggles to free himself out of their grip. 

 

'' No one will save you, Zero. Look around. Where is your big brother now? He can't save you now from whats about to come...'' With a swift motion, Yama pulled out a knife out of his jacket.

 

Hiro flinched as he felt how it wandered slightly against his neck, putting pressure onto the hickeys, but nearly not enough to draw blood. As his knife retreated Hiro exhaled.

 

With a swift movement, Yama sliced down Hiro's white tank top in two halves, revealing his creamy colored chest underneath. 

 

''I think our little guest, is feeling too warm tonight, would you kindly help him out of his coat please ?'' Yama chuckled as he watched how his minions sliced Hiro's upper clothing into tiny little shreds with their own knives. 

 

''Where is your arrogant bratty attitude now? Hmm?'' Yama asked satisfied, clearly enjoying the show before his eyes.

 

Hiro stood there like he was frozen. Cold air hit his naked upper body as the last shreds of red and white were lying on the ground. Sweaty fingers brushed against his skin. It felt yucky and gross.

 

''Such a beautiful skin~'' Yama breathed out almost fondly as his hands roamed dangerously against Hiro's cream colored chest. 

 

'' Fellows, look at his soft creamy skin..maybe we should sell him for an attractive price instead of enjoying him by ourselves.'' Yama's hyena men laughed, a shiver went down Hiro's spine as most of them shook their head, indicating that they wouldn't sell him without ''enjoying'' him first.

 

* Holy shit..no..no at this rate..they're really going to...going to..*  
His desperation gave him strength, with inhuman speed, Hiro jerked his right foot up and slammed it down to the left foot of Pig-Face who immediately loosened his hold on Hiro's face.

 

The younger Hamada used the given chance to jerked his head away, freeing his mouth from the rotting smell of the thick hand, as he took a deep breath and screamed at the top of his lunges, hoping somebody would hear him.

 

''PLEASE HELP ME!! TADASHI!!!!!'' His voice pierced though the night like a siren. But Yama's punch silenced him, almost sending him to his knees, hitting his stomach, knocking the breath out of him .If it weren't for Pig-face and Puke, he would be sitting on the ground holding his stomach right now. Hiro winced in pain as Yama sharply tugged at his hair, pulling him up. He gasped sorrowfully as his head was jerked forward involuntarily.

 

''oh my ..I told you, didn’t I? Your big bother won't come here...'' Yama stated, lips pulling into a smirk as he pinched one of Hiro's nipples with his thumb. Hiro yelped in pain and in shame. Unprepared at the sudden action. 

 

The companions of Yama laughed gleefully, enjoying to see him defenseless, standing here, squeezed between minion one and minion two, on a silver platter. 

 

'' Hear this fellows, squealing like a girl, makes me think we accidentally caught one ....'' Yama's hand traced Hiro's soft skin down. The younger Hamada whimpered and tried to turn his head away but Yama held it painfully in place, tugging on his hair.

 

''GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF MY BROTHER!!'' Tadashi Hamada angry roar seemed to reverberate throughout the whole district.

 

Yama stopped dead in his tracks, letting go off Hiro's hair, as he slowly turned to Tadashi's direction. Animalistic fury raged behind Tadashi's eyes as he threateningly took a step forward. But Yama Yamamoto seemed to have recovered from the shock. He started to laugh.  
''Why should we? It is so much fun. Just give us a little fun time to play with your brother.. but if you want him that badly, you'll have to challenge all of his admirers first''

 

With a swatting hand motion from Yama's side, four of his companions positioned themselves in front of their boss, each one pulled a knife out.

 

'''Dashi....'' Hiro whimpered, still struggling against the holds of Pig-Face and Puke as Yama slid his hand over his creamy chest, wandering lower, south...

 

Without losing another word, Tadashi tackled the first minion who stood in close proximity next to him and kicked him roughly with a few accurate movements into unconsciousness. A puddle of blood seeped out of the body. The remaining three Yakuza stared in shock at him, as Tadashi bend down and disarmed the first ''admirer'', taking the knife out of his hand and placing it into his own palm.

 

With a swift motion Tadashi turned around and attacked the minion behind his back, who wanted to tackle him from behind. His knife cut through his flesh like butter, leaving the second ''admirer'' wincing in pain on the floor. The older Hamada turned around again, ready to take on number three as a sharp pain pulsated in his upper leg. Gleefully, some of the remaining admirers laughed, enjoying seeing Tadashi gasping out in pain. Admirer number four had stabbed him with his knife. The knife which still stuck in Tadashi's flesh.

 

''TADASHI!!'' Hiro screamed out, eyes wide open.

 

''You know, you should just probably retreat and let us enjoy that tight little ass of your brother~ I'll be one of the first who will deeply enjoy plunging my-'' In the blink of an eye, Tadashi yanked the knife out off his upper leg and rammed it mercilessly down the chest of the one who so disrespectfully spoke about his little brother. The body fell on the floor with a thud, but Tadashi wasn't finished. He continued to slam his knife repeatedly down the filthy being's chest. Painting the ground in a bloody red. 

 

''TADASHI! Look ou-'' Before he could finish, Yama's filthy hand muffled Hiro's voice, but Tadashi already heard the warning. He rolled to the right, preventing another knife stab to hit him which another admirer dictated to him. As if Yama knew what would happen, he gestured Pig-Face and Puke to join the battle. Hiro had to stifle a grin as he noticed the terrified expressions on the faces.

 

Hiro wanted to use this opportunity to wrench out of their grip, but fast as the hands retreated, Yama slammed him against he wall, keeping him in place with his body weight. Disgust and loathing crept over Hiro, as Yama's clothed suit brushed against his naked upper body.

 

''Don't even think about escaping~'' Yama's fish breath ghosted over Hiro's ear. Helplessly, the younger Hamada could only watch, how the three Yakuza circled his big brother. Each one had a knife in their hand.

 

Tadashi noticed in the background, how his little brother helplessly struggled against the weight, which pushed him against the wall. With an inhuman growl he surged and pushed his knife into the head of Puke. The sickly green faced admirer screeched out in pain before falling lifelessly to the ground, with a knife stuck between his eyes. 

 

Pig-Face and the last remaining minion darted forward, planning to take on Tadashi simultaneously. But the older Hamada saw it coming. With a fluid movement he spun his body to the side before he foot swept the remaining minion on the ground, giving him no time to rest, slamming his knife down to the hilt. A red river flowed out of his stomach. 

 

With raging fury, Tadashi slowly turned himself to Pig-Face, Yama's last remaining companion, who stood in front of Tadashi. Growling, the older Hamada circled him, looking for weak spots. His knives were gone. Stuck into motionless bodies.Pig-face held two knives in his thick hands. But it didn't wake even an ounce of fear in Tadashi. He wanted to free his younger brother as fast as possible from the filthy hands of Yama Yamamoto.

 

A battle cry echoed through the alley as Tadashi darted forward and punched Pig-face in the face, bones cracked under the animalistic force, throwing Pig-face's massive body on the ground. His head hit the ground with an enormous noise. The twenty-three year old grabbed the last admirer by his collar and pulled his body forward. Slamming his face to the ground before his foot hit his back. Tadashi's eyes were burning with hatred as he kept looking straightly at Yama while he dislocated both of Pig-face shoulders' at he same time. 

 

''This happens to filthy hands which dare to touch MY precious baby brother'' Tadashi said raspy, unarming Pig-face and slamming both of his knives down, on each one of Pig-Face hand's, stapling them to the ground. The painful screams reverberated throughout the alley as they faded into whimpers and morphen ultimately into dead silence. Tadashi calmly made his way towards his little brother who was still pressed against the wall by Yama's bulky form.

 

Hiro his never saw Tadashi in this state, in his whole life. The way he beat down those Yakuza, mercilessly without any hesitation, sent a shiver down his spine. §..Isn’t it wonderful, how he loses control for you?~Throwing his morals away just to keep you safe~§ The fox purred with sugar-coated voice inside his brain. * No* Hiro slightly shook his head, trying to wipe the thought away just as something metallic and cold pressed onto Hiro's warm neck.

 

It was a gun. 

 

Yama had a gun up his sleeve the whole time. 

 

Tadashi stopped dead in his tracks, eyes wide open as he saw the gun which Yama pressed against the crook of Hiro's neck. Hiro shivered at the cold metal touched his skin.  
The bulky Yakuza boss started to laugh throatily. 

 

''It certainly is a pity that I lost a few men, but I wanted to renew my staff anyway~Tadashi..was it, wasn't it? How do you think about making a career as a Yakuza? Of course you'll first have to pay the damage you've caused, but I think, one night with this gorgeous moth-watering body, will be good enough as a repayment'' Yama underlined his words as his cold gun brushed against Hiro's nipples causing the younger Hamada to turn his head away in shame and disgust. 

 

Tadashi was fuming with rage. He wanted to tear every fucking bone out of Yama's body and detach the ugly hand with a chainsaw from his body. And then he wanted to throw the ugly hand into acid, the hand which dared to touch his baby brother in such frivolous ways. All around Tadashi lay bruised and bloody bodies of Yama's Yakuza companions on the ground, but it didn't seem to bother Yama. Instead he laughed throatily again as he noticed the expression on the face of the older Hamada. 

 

''LET. HIM. GO.'' Tadashi gritted out through his clenched teeth. He didn't want to bring his brother in danger but he had to do something. His eyes frantically moved, looking for weak spots, a new angle, something which he could use to free his little brother out of the grasp from the Yakuza.

 

''Hm? ah~ no~'' Yama waved with his gun in front of Tadashi's face before he loaded it and pressed the tip on Hiro's forehead. ''I'll give you a choice..Hamada...either you will watch how I devour your little brother right here in this alley or you will watch how his genius brain explodes into tiny little red messy pieces on the wall..and I'm pretty sure little Hiro will submit to my commands when his big brother here is in danger, isn't it right gorgeous?'' Yama looked at Hiro, before he withdrew his gun and pointed it straightly at Tadashi.

 

''Yes.'' Hiro gasped out. Heart painfully throbbing against his chest. '' I will do anything please don't hurt my brother!'' His fearful expression was, what Yama had yearned for long.

 

''Alright~ put your hands above your head'' Yama commanded.

 

Hiro took a shaky breath as he followed the command, his hands trembled as he put them aboce his head.

 

''HIROO!! No! Don't do what he says! I'll be fine!'' Tadashi screamed out. A shot suddenly rang through the street. Fearfully, Tadashi looked at Hiro, searching for a bullet wound but nothing red dribbled down Hiro's creamy skin.

 

The scent of gunpowder caught his noise. It was coming from the spot right next to Tadashi.

Yama's message was clear.

 

''Ta..Tadashi..'' Hiro whimpered as Yama bent forward, his hand circling Hiro's chest in slow deliberate movements. The younger Hamada didn't move on inch. If it was his life on the line he would've struggled desperately but it wasn't his. Tadashi's life was on the line and Hiro couldn't picture his life without his older brother. Therefore he submitted to Yama's command and remained still as the rotten sweaty hand traveled down to his stomach.

 

The cold gun was now pressed against Hiro's left cheek. Hiro felt utterly helpless and mucky. He wanted to throw up..*no..this can't be happening ..please no* His thoughts were running in his head, trying to find a solution to escape.

 

§..power... don't forget your power~§ The voice purred sizzling inside Hiro's head. It was accompanied by a strange painful tone which whipped through him, putting on a switch in his whole body. He felt it. Cursing in his veins. Hot, venomous power.

 

Hiro opened his eyes. Fear completely disappeared from his face and was replaced with a daring look in his eyes. His whole posture changed. His trembling ceased and his slumped shoulders straightened out. He stood in front of Yama, staring with an inviting smirk into his pitch black eyes. 

 

''Yama~ doesn’t get this old?~ Wouldn't it be a little more interesting if your object of raping would be more willing?~ I could do a lot more than your usual scaredy cats~ Hiro purred with a sizzling voice as his hands smoothly wandered to the gun which was shaking in Yama's hands. He comprised the cold metal, before tilting it slightly to the side. Through half lidded eyes, he placed the gun near his mouth area. He opened his sinful red mouth and he started to lick a trail along the shaft of his gun.

 

Seductively, he stared up to the Yakuza, noticing the red blush against his cheeks, feeling the way how the gun trembled in his hands. As he continued to trail his tongue teasingly around the cold metal.

 

''Hi ..Hiro..?!'' Tadashi whispered disbelieving, his mind not comprehending the scene in front of him. He couldn't believe what he saw.

 

''Didn’t know you could be such a good slut~'' Yama breathed out, lost in a trance, gulping, as his eyes followed the movement of Hiro's daring wet tongue.

 

'' This gun sure has a good taste~ but I bet something down there tastes much nicer~ '' Hiro purred out with sugar-coated voice as he gestured to Yama's pants.

 

Yama's breathing hitched. The hold around his gun weakened and Hiro took the chance. 

 

His lithe body swayed to the side, as his hands took with fast movements the gun out of Yama's bulky hand. With a well aimed kick at Yama's crotch area, Yama's other hand released its iron grip around Hiro's naked shoulder.

 

A shot rang throughout the alley.

 

This time the bullet didn't hit the ground. It hit flesh.

 

Hiro shot Yama right through the neck as he pulled the trigger. With his eyes gulped open, the tall Yakuza enfolded his hands around his own throat. Blood was spilling out of his mouth. Yama's eyes rolled upwards as his bulky body fell to the ground with a loud thud. The gun trembled in the hands of the younger Hamada, as he pulled the trigger again.

 

Again.

 

Again.

 

Again.

 

The gunshots were piercing though Yama's already motionless and lifeless body, but Hiro kept shooting him, like he was an undead creature who could be resurrected anytime and lay his sweaty rotting hands upon his naked skin again.

 

Tadashi stopped breathing, as the scene infolded in front of him. Hiro's eyes were wide open, terrified, as he shot the whole magazine empty. Bullet holes decorated Yama's body. The moonlight shone onto Hiro's delicate skin, as he stood there, motionlessly staring at Yama's bloody body, throwing the empty gun on the ground.

 

The soothing scent of mints and lemons drifted to Hiro, as Tadashi gently placed his unbuttoned black shirt onto his naked and still shivering shoulders. 

 

Hiro turned his head to Tadashi. Tears were prickling in his eyes. ''Oh..god..Ta..dashi'' He gasped out as his arms surged forward, pressing his face into the black wife beater which Tadashi was wearing. ''He wanted to..he wanted..to..and I ...I-'' Hiro hiccuped as tears rolled down his cheeks and he started weeping against the athletic warm chest of his older brother. His shoulders shook violently with each breath that he took.

 

Tadashi pulled Hiro closer, caressing his back in soothing movements. ''Hiro..it's over...everything will be alright..shh..it's over...you did god..really..good...everything will be alright'' The older Hamada muttered softly against Hiro's fluffy ebony hair as he rocked them slowly back and forth. 

 

They clung to each other as they stood in the dark alley. The street lights shone weakly upon the seven bloody, motionless bodies, which surrounded the two Hamada brothers. .

 

Suddenly foot steps echoed through the night. Hiro tensed in Tadashi's embrace. ''Hiro and Tadashi Hamada? Thank god, I found you'' A friendly voice stated out of breath. A tall man in a gray suit and with blue eyes appeared from the shadows. 

 

Tadashi growled threateningly as he positioned himself in front of Hiro, ready to take on every person who wanted to harm him. The tall man with the blue eyes flinched as his eyes took in the scene in front of him. The lifeless lying bodies on the ground. The anxious face of the younger Hamada as well as the animalistic fury in Tadashi Hamada's eyes.

 

''I..I've come to help, my name is Steven. Steven Heartnet, I tried to contact you at the cafe..''  
The tall man started as he took a step next to the Hamada brothers. The older Hamada saw his action as a declaration of war. The twenty-three year old surged forward, ready to take the man called Steven Heartnet down.

''WAIT!'' Hiro's scream, made the older Hamada stop. His fist was only an inch away from Steven's face, who gulped audibly. With a soft motion of his hand, Hiro put Tadashi's arm down. As a reaction Tadashi wrapped possessively an arm around Hiro, holding him close. 

 

''I remember your face..what do you want from us?'' Hiro uttered, hating how hesitantly and afraid his own voice sounded in his ears. But who could've blame him? Nearly being killed, raped and killing someone himself surely would take its tool on anybody. Distrusting, he eyed Steven Heartnet up and down, trying to find the lie behind his words.

 

''I want to help you. Please follow me, we don't have enough time. I can help you to figure out what is happening to both of you right now!'' His blue eyes stared in pure earnestly into Hiro's. A growl rumbled down Tadashi's throat. 

 

''How can we trust you?'' Hiro stated and cursed himself mentally again because his voice wasn’t as tough as he would have liked it to be, but before Steven Heartnet could answer, police sirens burst through the night.

 

''Either you trust me or the police. They would certainly like to know your explanation involving this- '' Steven Heartnet pointed with his index finger to the motionless bodies of the Yakuza gang. The sirens came closer.

 

''Alright. We have no choice. Lead the way.'' Hiro demanded. Steven Heartnet nodded and stroke off. The Hamada brothers followed him. Tadashi stuck close to Hiro's side. 

 

~~~~~~~~


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WAIT!...please note:  
> *......* -> someone's thoughts  
> ''......'' -> somebody speaks  
> \------- -> indicates part of the 'bad guys'  
> ~~~~ ->indicates transition
> 
> Wohoo~Mama mia...guys you don't how interesting writing a story can turn up to be if the only thing running through your blood is caffeine ~ YEAH! CHAPTER 20 FINISHED~  
> Again a MASSIVE thanks to the previous commentators :  
> MuterHero86, jimmywolfe, Some type of person, Plain_Blue_Nightingale, Ciccu and Shadowstar :D
> 
> I'm a human being and therefore mistakes are unpreventable. I would reaally appreciate some criticism, so I can repost my stuff in a more correct English :D
> 
>  
> 
> Anyway~ Have fun you awesome individual with reading the stuff below ~ :D
> 
>  
> 
> ~~~~~

\------------

 

Dangerously slow, her long fingernails traced circles, around the outlines of expensive wood. With a loud thud, the pale slender hand landed on the mahogany work desk. The sound was echoing throughout the whole room. Piercing green eyes slid back from the only two defective monitors to the colorless faces standing next to them. 

 

Violet Green's eyes lingered on her messengers, who had the task to keep an eye on both subject RA2015 and subject FO2015.

 

''Do you mind to tell me, how you managed to lose sight of our precious experiments?'' 

 

Anger. There was no mistakenly a hidden tone of anger in her usual neutral, mechanic-like kind of voice. Her whole stance radiated calmness, but the rage behind her venomous green eyes, sent ice-cold chills down the spines of the poor souls, standing next to the only two monitors, which kept flickering in an almost gleefully manner, beside the functioning ones.

 

''I- it..we..there were so many people that...that...-'' 

 

One of her messengers tried to answer with a voice, high-pitched and stuttering. The woman averted her eyes from the piercing green gaze of Violet Green as she nervously folded her trembling fingers together. 

 

The second messenger was a man, who stood next to the woman and looked crestfallen down to the while floor. He clutched his clipboard tightly in his hands, as if his life was depended on it. The man had been ordered to keep an eye on subject RA2015. But he failed.  
Failed, like the female college, standing next to him. 

 

And the man knew all too well, how Violet Green, chief of the Cain Cooperation, dealt with failure.

 

His throat felt constricted, preventing his lips from forming words. Words which he could have used to safe his life. But he couldn't. He couldn't form words. His throat felt like somebody put a rag into his mouth, prohibiting him from uttering even one tiny vocal. The man felt despair gnawing in his mind. His whole being was filled with the dilating urge to curl himself into a small ball and to cry for mercy. 

 

He knew the chance of surviving would decrease immensely, if he dared to show such weak-mindedness, in front of the leading head of the Cain Cooperation. 

 

Violet Green exhaled slowly, still eying up her subordinates like little worthless insects. She was a tall woman, who had a bony body structure. Her skin had an unhealthily pale tone. Bluish-violet marks lingered under her eyes. Like she didn't sleep at all. Or didn't view sleep as something necessary for a human being. 

 

The chief of the Cain Cooperation liked to dress herself in white. White lab coat. White business dress and white pumps. The only things which weren't white, were her murderous green eyes and her pinned up, violet colored hair. 

 

To most people, which she met along her way, she appeared like a white Grim Reaper. 

 

Violet Green's slender fingers twitched, aching with the strong desire to reach out for the cold metal beneath the mahogany drawer and to pull the trigger, aiming first at the annoying woman and then at the pathetic excuse of a man.

 

''I assume... both of you are capable of seeing.. that our main access points to the most promising experiments since out first proceedings....are now disconnected...which means.... somebody disturbed the signals of the neurotransmitter in their masks....and we aren't able to control their brainwaves anymore....'' 

 

She placed her words carefully, while her predatorily gaze, seemed to drill holes into the heads of the both trembling messengers.

 

''It was certainly caused by this traitor Steven Heartnet!! He...he must have followed them! I knew it. I knew something was sketchy about him the first time he set his foot though the door of our cooperation!'' 

 

The high-pitch tone of the woman pierced through the room, vibrating with desperation.

 

Violet Green massaged her forehead . ''And which...reason...Mrs. Johnson ..did Steven Heartnet have to put obstacles in our way? Especially, when he knows very well, how we exactly deal with the people, who dare to put obstacles in our way?'' 

 

She asked deliberately, adjusting her glasses.

 

''I..I think maybe he works for another secret organization, which tries to make us look like a fool! Or maybe he wants the subjects for himself!! We all saw, how well-promising their data was! ..Maybe..maybe he also wants to use them against us! '' 

 

The woman named Mrs. Johnson answered heatedly. Her tense shoulders relaxed a little and the high pitched tone in her voice decrease to a normal tone as she spoke out her assumptions in a loud voice, hoping to convince Violet Green to keep her alive.

 

''Well..well Mrs. Johnson..good work at concluding...I wish you were so thoroughly with your work.... as I ordered you to keep an eye on subject FO2015...'' Violet Green traced her eyes to the defect monitor next to the woman's head. ''Honestly, first I wanted to eliminate both Mr. Collins here and you. But I've changed my mind..you can avoid your punishment Mrs. Johnson..if you would be so kindly to bestow Mr. Collins here with a breathtaking hug around his neck, putting him into a deep slumber...'' 

 

Violet Green smirked, revealing teeth, stark resembling the sharp teeth of a shark. Maliciousness seeped in her face as she sat down, leaning back on her comfortable chair. Her piercing eyes seemed to feast on to the scene, infolding in front of her. 

 

Before the man named Mr. Collins could even comprehend the said sentences, a sharp punch collided with his face, sending him off his balance. With an angry scream his female college threw her body weight on him, toppling him mercilessly to the ground, driven by her survival instincts.

 

Her college looked at her disbelieving, with eyes wide open, as her pedicured fingers enclosed around his neck, squeezing his life out of him. 

 

''Am..Amanda..why?'' He gasped out as his air supply was shut down thoroughly.

 

Wordlessly, Amanda Johnson continued to choke her former college, watching how his body struggled helplessly against her determined hold. Her nails cut through the flesh of his neck, increasing the process of his downfall. 

 

Despair, fear and a spark of betrayal lay in Mr. Collins bulged eyes as he died at the hands of his college Amanda Johnson. His whole body went slack, lying motionlessly on the white floor.

 

A slow clapping sound echoed through the walls of Violet Green's office as the head of the Cain Cooperation applauded to the scene which had just occurred in front of her venomous gaze. Like she just had watched a stage play. A game and not murder. 

 

Amanda Johnson got up unsteadily. Her whole being was shaking as she stood in front of the corpse of her friend. On her pedicured fingers clung pieces of his blood, clinging sickeningly warm to her skin. Speechless, she stared at her own hands, not comprehending what just had occurred, as the door suddenly swung open and uniformed men dragged the lifeless body of Mr. Collins out of the office, dragging the shocked Amanda Johnson along with them.

 

It was an open secret that Violet Green's office, was also called the chamber of blood.

 

As the door closed behind her, she reached out for her electric device, contacting her best trackers, the twins, Simon and Jeff Scofield. 

 

''How are you progressing with the search?'' She questioned in her neutral voice, as she adjusted her glasses and made her way towards her drawer, taking out the folders of her missing subjects. It was a pity that both escaped before she could find out about their true identities.

 

''This Steven Heartnet is one sneaky motherfucker..'' Jeff announced with his scratchy voice. The noise of police sirens hit Violet's ears as she skimmed through her documents and waited for Jeff to continue. 

 

Any other person which swore in her presence got his tongue cut off, because Violet Green was an idealist when it concerned a good etiquette. But Jeff was an exception. Therefore, she always let it slide.

 

''We followed his traces for about eight hours, before we realized that the little fucker gave us the runaround. Disappearing and appearing in the most inconceivable places. Man..I can't wait to tear every good damn bloody piece off his skin...Anyway boss..you certainly noticed these lovely police sirens in the background..well...seven Yakuza were just found dead at the district, where the most bot fights usually occur..'' Jeff Scofield stated, drawing out each word.

 

''And how... is the death of a few Yakuza connected to Steven Heartnet?'' Violet asked, mildly interested. A rustling went through the electric device as Simon snatched the phone of Jeff away. After a few seconds Jeff's voice was replaced with the rougher, deeper one of his twin brother.

 

''It might be interesting, because a little bird chirped us... the presence of a tall blonde man, who ran away from the crime scene with two young males in tow. A blonde tall man whose description of appearance is overlapping with the likes of Steven Heartnet-'' Simon wanted to continue but Violet cut him off.

 

''Wait!! These two young males, which you were talking about...could you ask your little bird how they looked like?'' The impulsive tone in her voice stood in contrast to the mechanical sound of her usual way of speaking. The green eyed woman tried to keep her excitement in check. This couldn't be a coincidence. There was a high possibility that these two young males were her missing subjects RA2015 and FO2015. 

 

With fluid accuracy, Violet Green flipped through the documents, up to the section, where the snapshots of the video cameras from the Royal Masquerade lay. As she found them, she placed them next to each other. Her eyes analyzing, comparing the appearance of both subjects.

 

''Simon? Jeff? I'm waiting...'' Violet Green stated in a business like manner.

 

''Well-'' Jeff started, taking the cellphone again into his possession. ''It was dark, our birdie chirped... that it couldn't see their faces clearly, but it remembered their body height... One was tall and the other one was small. At least one head height difference between the two. The tall one had a stab wound on his upper leg. He wore a black wife-beater and dark blue jeans. The smaller one had a shirt on, which was too big for his body. He wore black jeans..ehmm..boss? I can't exactly see how this information is helpful to find Steven Heartnet...'' Jeff mentioned scratchily.

 

'' Keep going Jeff! I need this information! These young males might be the subjects, which escaped!'' Violet Green announced heatedly as she stared at the two pictures in front of her. The masks hid their faces too well, but their body structure might betray them. 

 

She inhaled deeply, trying to keep her excitement under control. ''The tall one..was he black haired, athletic built, with broad shoulders?'' The green eyed woman listed with a questioning tone.

 

''Yes. He was. '' Jeff replied, wondering as Violet continued. ''The small one...had he also black hair? But a lithe frame?'' The green eyed woman bit her lip as she expectantly waited for the reply of her subordinate.

 

''Yes...'' Jeff answered with a stagger in his voice.

 

Violet Green suddenly remembered the video footage’s of both of them dancing at the Royal Masquerade and the data of their brainwaves. They shared a close connection. RA2015 had been nearly close to perfection before Steven Heartnet decided to disconnect his neural transmission. The raven masked subject must have shown some signs of animalistic behavior.

 

''Jeff..Simon? Did the tall show any signs of a strange behavior?'' She asked hesitantly. This was the last bit of proof, she needed to be sure about her assumption.

 

''Well...'' Simon draw out, taking over the cellphone. '' Birdie said, he was practically inseparable from the smaller one. His arm was draped over his shoulders and he had strange sunken stance, like was ready to attack someone. Birdie said, she heard a deep growling as they ran away'' 

 

Simon finished with his rough voice, waiting for her acknowledgment.

 

''Excellent! The murder...it might have been caused by the subjects, which means that we are one step closer to our goal! Simon..Jeff..I need both of you to continue your persecution of Steven Heartnet, because if you find Mr. Heartnet, you'll also be able to find the missing subjects. And more importantly, their identity. If we know who they are, we now how to make them submit'' The chief of the Cain Cooperation announced, greed fueling her voice.

 

''Yess!!'' Both Simon and Jeff stated loud and clear as they ended the phone call.

 

With a smile on her pale lips, she typed slightly at the electric device, before putting it back into the shelf. Her venomous eyes gazed almost as gentle as the eyes of a loving mother, over the pictures of the masked subjects RA2015 and FO2015. 

 

Violet Green's slender bony fingers, traced the outlines of the pictures.

 

''Soon.... you'll both be mine..'' She whispered. 

 

Her piercing green eyes, glinting in anticipation.

\-----------------------

...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

It was nearly pitch black as Steven Heartnet and the Hamada brothers ran through the city. The warm hand of Tadashi was draped protectively around Hiro's delicate shoulders the whole time. Keeping him close. Never letting go. Sticking by Hiro's side. Ready to grind everything to dust which could end up harming his little brother.

 

Tadashi's warm hand was the only thing, keeping Hiro from falling apart.

 

The younger Hamada still didn't know, if it was a good idea to follow the stranger named Steven Heartnet. But they had no other choice than to risk it. Hiro's throbbing mind still couldn't comprehend, what just had happened. The blood. The killing. It seemed, like somebody evil, patched all of his worst nightmares together and wrapped them tightly around his whole being, leaving him jittery and scared.

 

Anxiety was buzzing through Hiro's veins, heightening his senses, keeping his eyes wide open and his body alert. And even if Tadashi seemed to be the quintessential of the word -invulnerability- right now, Hiro knew the truth. The younger Hamada knew how much strength his older brother was putting into appearing, like the knife wound on his upper leg didn't hurt.

 

After passing different alleys and corners of San Fransokyo, Hiro expected to be lead into some kind of underground hideout and not to be standing in front of an expensive looking Victorian apartment complex, surrounded by trees. The Hamada brothers followed the blonde man, up to the third floor, to the last door on the right, which was situated at the end of the corridor. 

 

With a swift motion, Steven Heartnet opened the door to his apartment and turned the light on, before indicating both Hamada brothers to come in.

 

Hesitantly, Hiro and Tadashi looked at each other, silently communicating, as the younger Hamada slowly nodded, they moved, taking a step into the unfamiliar ground. Instinctively, the younger Hamada pressed his lithe frame closer to Tadashi's broad chest and Tadashi strengthen his hold on his little brother. Both were tensing, getting ready. Bracing themselves for an unexpected attack.

 

''Don't worry, you can trust me'' Steven Heartnet's soft voice announced reassuringly, smiling at both of them, before he carefully closed the apartment door behind them.

 

Tadashi's pulse was hammering wildly in his blood as he still held Hiro close and began to inspect the apartment with leery eyes. From what he could see, there were no other persons in the room. No weapons. No traps in sight. No danger, radiating from the Victorian designed living room. If the tall blonde man, planned a secret ambush on them, they would have certainly noticed it by now. 

 

Tadashi allowed himself to relax a little, but not enough to lessen his awareness.

 

The room, in which they stood, was decorated in an old-fashioned way. It seemed as clean as somebody just moved in there. The furniture was put together in warm colors of brown and silken yellow. 

 

As the Hamada brothers observed the apartment, Steven Heartnet pulled the dark colored curtains down, shielding them from the outside world. Protecting them, from unwanted gazes. They were still standing in the living room, on a very expensive looking Persian carpet. Tadashi's eyes traced the well knitted pattern of symbols which decorated the carpet, while he tried to keep breathing through his nose. 

 

If he were to breath through his mouth, Hiro would notice, how painful, he would be exhaling.  
Panting against the bone-crushing pain. 

 

*I have to ..to stay strong....stay strong...Hiro could be..be still in danger...* The older Hamada kept thinking, as he felt how the adrenalin in his bod lessened, increasing his senses to feel pain. His upper leg was throbbing, screaming at him, grinding his flesh together sorrowfully.

 

The warmth beneath Tadashi's fingertips, radiating from Hiro's shoulders, felt like morphine. Numbing the pain. Giving him strength. Subconsciously, he pressed his precious brother closer to his chest. Inhaling the familiar sweet yet spicy scent.

 

Hiro leaned his buzzing head, thankfully, against the warm broad chest, while his eyes traced every item of the living room. His gaze lingered on the security cameras, which were lined up on a massive table in the corner of the room. There were exact nine of them. At a closer look, Hiro noticed, how well they captured all of the areas around the apartment complex. Observing every corner, which they had just passed, running.

 

''That camera system..it is the newest Xpi6 model on the market, isn't it?'' Hiro blurted out without thinking, while his anxious mind was trying to keep his brain occupied. He knew it would be only a matter of time before he snapped. The panic attack was lurking in the corner of his mind, baring its teeth at him.

 

Steven Heartnet turned his attention to him and smiled, before walking over, patting one of the screens. ''Yes, I had some trouble to get my hands on the supplies but with the right connections everything is possible. If someone was to follow us.... it would notice it right away even in the night. Night vision at it's finest. I placed them strategically on every possible entry. So we're safe here..for now'' Steven Heartnet's eyes worriedly traced over the two battered bodies standing in front of him.

 

The younger Hamada was still shivering. The shirt, which he was wearing was definitely a number too big for him, revealing a piece of his bruised creamy shoulder, making him look even smaller and more fragile than he is. 

 

Where Hiro's face was unhealthily pale, the face of his older brother was covered in bruises. His arm was wrapped so tightly around his little brother, like he was ready to never let him go. The older Hamada's eyes still kept tracing the room, looking for traps or clues, indicating that his place wasn't safe. He looked like a wounded animal. Like a wounded wolf, protecting its cub.

 

Steven inhaled. He was not prepared for such a situation.

 

''....Well do you both want to sit down? You also look like you need a first aid kit. Especially your big brother.'' Steven said hesitantly offering them a seat on the couch.

 

Out of the blue, Hiro felt how Tadashi's hold on him weakened and his older brother began to stagger. With his lithe hands, the younger Hamada grabbed onto his brother, preserving him from falling to the ground. With a weak groan, Tadashi went limb in his arms. 

 

Blood started to seep onto the carpet, coming from the wound on his upper leg.

 

Hiro's hand darted forward, checking the pulse of his older brother, before his panic could even think about the set in. 

 

The younger Hamada exhaled relieved as he felt the familiar pulse, pulsating beneath his finger tips. Tadashi panted with his eyes closed. He must have fallen asleep from exhaustion and from blood loss. 

 

Hiro knew it wasn't life-threatening, if the right person took care of it.

 

Suddenly, the younger Hamada felt the presence of Steven Heartnet next to him. ''Hiro.. can..can I.. I help you? I'm not very accustomed to treating persons. But I want to help. He is not in danger, is he? I have a first kit aid in the bathroom, should I bring it over?''  
Steven Heartnet bubbled nervously, obviously overwhelmed with this whole situation.

 

As overwhelmed as Hiro felt right now. 

 

And that was the moment, the younger Hamada decided to trust the tall stranger.

 

''Could you please help me, to place Tadashi under a soft surface? We need to recline his body into a horizontal position, before I can take a look at his injured upper leg. I take his left arm and you his right, okay?'' Hiro stated as his hands were already wrapping themselves, under the left arm of his unconsciousness big brother.

 

Steven Heartnet mirrored his movements, wrapping his own hands around Tadashi's right arm, lifting him up, from the floor.

 

Seconds later, Hiro and Steven were placing Tadashi onto the queen-size bed of the guestroom which was situated next to the living room. Hiro placed gently a pillow under the head of his older brother, as Steven Heartnet marched to the curtains and pulled them down. 

 

''Steven, could you please bring this first aid box, you mentioned earlier, here? I also will need alcohol for antiseptic purposes, a cotton pad and a bowl filled with lukewarm water as well as two towel....'' Hiro listed as his eyes traced the battered form of his older brother.

 

''Yes, of course! I'm on my way!'' Steven announced as he darted towards the bathroom, leaving the younger Hamada alone with his unconsciousness big brother.

 

Hiro's eyes took in the bruised face of his older sibling. It was hard to believe that Tadashi himself, has inflicted those wounds upon his skin. A bluish violet hematoma lingered right underneath Tadashi's eye. On his right cheek, two bruises reddened his skin. Another bruise sat right across Tadashi's nasal bone. Like a red, angry bridge, placed right between his eyes.

 

Hiro let out a shaky breath as his eyes wandered south. Lingering on the bloody spot on the upper leg of his older brother. Fear run through his veins a the thought of the wound beneath the jeans cloth. The younger Hamada knew, he had to get ride off the trousers in order to treat the wound.

 

With trembling hands, the sixteen year old reached forward and opened the fly button of Tadashi's trousers, accidentally brushing his crotch area in the process.

 

''Hiro...'' Tadashi mumbled faintly with his eyes closed.

 

Hiro's hands backed away, like he was hit with electricity. He waited for the fox to comment in his head. To purr about the way the crotch of his older brother would feel beneath his finger tips. But the voice remained silent. 

 

As silent as Tadashi turned right now. There was no doubt that Hiro's brother was still unconscious.

 

The younger Hamada mentally slapped himself at his own antics. Now was not the time to question the absence of the fox voice, which terrorized his brain for so long. He needed to treat Tadashi immediately.

 

Determined, his lithe hands darted forward to the fly zipper. As he felt the fastener in his right hand, he squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to be confronted with the only curved part of Tadashi's body. Hiro exhaled sharply as he pulled the fly zipper down.

 

RAAATCH!!!

 

The sound seemed to reverberate throughout the whole apartment complex. Hiro's cheeks were burning in embarrassment at the way, the tone seemed to echo through the room. Involuntarily his eyes opened. Only to be confronted with drawings of tiny green robots. 

 

Many tiny green robots, which smiling at him from a yellow background.

 

Hiro immediately bit his lip, trying to hold in his laugh. * Boxer-briefs with robot applications, really Tadashi?* A laugh bubbled inside Hiro's stomach, he refused to let it out. But the sight in front of him....It was just SO Tadashi. Just so his dorky older brother, who even managed to wear with the age of twenty-three, the same underwear Hiro wore himself when he was ten years old.

 

Fondly, Hiro shook his head, trying to shake his suppressed laughter away. He took a deep breath and exhaled, concentrating himself on the task in front of him. Somehow, Tadashi always seemed to manage to cheer Hiro up. Even when he was lying unconscious before him.

 

Lovingly, the younger Hamada looked at the sleeping face of his older brother. Hiro's hands  
deliberately wandered, up to the jeans belt loops, before he carefully grabbed the dark blue fabric in his hands and carefully started to free his older brother from his trousers.

 

Little by little. Precisely slowly in order not to hurt the older Hamada. Even trough, Hiro honorably tried to help his older brother, he couldn't prevent the rough clothing from brushing against the opened flesh of Tadashi's wound. 

 

Tadashi hissed, scrunching his face up at the pain.

 

With a last tug, Tadashi's trousers fell to the floor. Just as Steven Heartnet walked in the guestroom. The tall blonde man had placed all the goods which Hiro had asked him to into his large hands. 

 

''Oh. my. god.'' He uttered as he saw the older Hamada.

 

Hiro knew he was gazing at the bloody wound on Tadashi's right leg, which looked like angry red mouth. The wound had the seize of Hiro's index finger.

 

''Yeah..I know..unbelievable..right? He is twenty-three years old and still wears boxer briefs with robots applications...'' The younger Hamada stated deadpanned, without twitching a muscle on his face. 

 

''You...'' Steven Heartnet stated as he walked forward. ''...have a twisted sense of humor'' He ended as he put the things down onto the empty space next to Hiro on the queen size bed.  
Even though, his voice had a serious undertone, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

 

''I think, I'm not the only one'' Hiro replied as he stood up and took the towels from Steven's shoulder. ''Thanks..'' He uttered as he placed one towel under Tadashi's injured leg. As he was done, the younger Hamada placed the second towel, in the bowl, wetting it in the lukewarm water. Hiro wrung it out and bowed down to the upper leg of his brother, gently cleaning the wound with the towel.

 

''Steven..I might need you to hold his leg down, to keep him from trashing around when I start to disinfect his wound with alcohol...'' Hiro announced. Sounding more convinced as he felt internally, as he put the towel back to the bowl and opened the bottle of vodka, lying next to the first aid kit. 

 

He turned the bottle slightly down, as he pressed the cotton pad towards the bottleneck.  
The sharp smell of alcohol filled the room. Hiro reclined the bottle into a standing position as he felt how the cotton pad absorbed the alcoholic liquid. With a swift motion, he closed the bottle, placing it next to the bowl.

 

Hiro exhaled deeply. ''Alright...'' He mentioned as he nodded towards the direction of the tall man. Wordlessly, Steven Heartnet positioned himself near Tadashi's feet and held his knees down.

 

The younger Hamada nodded again, exhaling deeply. He knew, it would hurt Tadashi but there was no other choice. He needed to get his wound cleaned and from the looks of it, he also had to stitch it up. 

 

*Come on...it needs to be done...with an infection he would suffer even more...* Hiro convinced himself as he placed the wet cotton pad on the wound.

 

''Arghh..'' Tadashi groaned in pain.

 

Just as Hiro had predicted, Tadashi's legs started to jerk violently, trying to get away from the stinging pain on his wound, but Steven did a good job at holding his legs down. The older Hamada could only groan anew, as Hiro moved the cotton pad slowly up and down his wound. The whole time, Hiro tried to stabilize his breathing, ordering his hands to remain steady. If they would tremble, it would only increase Tadashi's agony.

 

Carefully, Hiro put the cotton pad away. ''Steven..do you have any experience with needles? You know... in the way of patching things up? For example a stab wound on an upper leg?'' The younger Hamada questioned, hopefully while he looked up to the tall blonde man.

 

Hiro's hope was destroyed in an instant moment as Steven shook his head woefully. ''It's even hard for me to keep looking at blood'' The blue-eyed men mentioned. Only now, Hiro noticed how Steven Heartnet always avoided to look on Tadashi's wound, directly. Either he was staring at the carpet, gazing at the painting on the wall, or focusing on the bedsheets. Looking at everything other than the bleeding wound on the upper leg of the older Hamada.

 

''Alright..'' The younger Hamada rolled the sleeves of Tadashi's black shirt up, which he was wearing. The scent of Tadashi still clung to the cloth, calming Hiro down.  
''Keep holding his legs...'' Hiro ordered as he opened the first aid box and disinfected the needle. ''Is this thread organically decomposable?'' Hiro asked as he looked at the white thread which rested next to the bandage. 

 

''If you mean, if it will dissolve organically, than yes'' Steven stated. ''Good.'' Hiro took another deep breath, before he tried to thread the needle.

 

It slipped.

 

He tried again.

 

It slipped.

 

''Damn it!'' Hiro cursed through his gritted teeth. His hands just wouldn't stop shaking, trembling at the thought of piercing through the flesh of his older brother. At the thought of hurting him. * Come..on..don't be such a coward...Tadashi needs you...Tadashi needs this..the wound has to be closed...six stitches..only six stitches...come on...*  
The younger Hamada closed his eyes and recalled the details about stitching which he once watched in a documentation with Tadashi, as his older brother learned for an exam.

 

But in order to make use of his theoretical skills, he first and foremost needed to calm down.

 

Hiro closed his eyes. He needed to put all of his emotions to the side. He slowly began to mentally count from one to ten, inhaling and exhaling, at every new added number.

 

The younger Hamada felt, how his thoughts slowly faded away. His tense shoulders relaxed a  
little. As he tried to thread the needle again, it worked. Methodically, he prepared the thread, detaching the length which wasn't necessary, cutting it off and making a little knot at the end of the thread, which should hold the stitches in place.

 

Suddenly a thought hit Hiro like a train. ''Painkillers! Steven do you have painkillers nearby?!'' He nearly shouted. Steven looked at him with eyes wide open, before he face-palmed himself. ''Why haven't I thought about the earlier? Hold on!''

 

Steven darted away. 

 

A few seconds later he was arrived again, with a white pill in one hand and a glass of half-filled water in the other hand. ''Here'' He handed Hiro the pill, while the younger Hamada shifted his weight, now sitting next to Tadashi's head. 

 

With a gentle movement, Hiro tilted the head of his older brother up. 

 

''Tadashi...I need you to swallow this painkiller....'' He whispered gently as he pushed the pill between Tadashi's rough lips and teeth. With a swift motion, he indicated Steven Heartnet to give him the glass of water. 

 

''..good...you're doing well Tadashi...please gulp it down..'' Hiro lead the cup against Tadashi's parted lips. Tadashi gulped it down, still unconscious, swallowing the painkiller. A bit of water trailed down, to the chin of the older Hamada. Hiro brushed it lovingly away, before he pressed a light kiss onto Tadashi's sweaty forehead. 

 

The older Hamada's face loosened some of its tension. A light smile ghosted over his lips, feeling the touch of his precious brother.

 

Steven Heartnet turned his head away from the scene in front of him. From Hiro's gestures, he saw how much he cared for his older brother. It was downright sickening how the Cain Cooperation turned such innocent sibling love into something sinful.

 

''I'm sorry...I'm know ...its weird and I'm weird...but..but..'' Hiro said stuttering as he noticed how the tall man turned his head away. 

 

''No! You're not weird! The reason I turned away was because i felt like an intruder...'' Steven Heartnet uttered heatedly. ''It's not weird nor disgusting. This whole mess is the fault of the Cooperation which I will tell you about when you're finished sewing up the injured leg...and I'm sorry that I can't help directly to stitch him up..'' The blue eyed man looked earnestly at the younger Hamada.

 

''Thank you...'' Hiro how the first smile blossomed on his lips. ''Could you please hold his legs again? I hope the pill will show its effect fast.'' The younger Hamada stated as he took a deep breath and took the needle once again between his thumb and his index finger.

 

His eyes laid on the wound, from which a trail of blood was dripping down. 

 

Hiro steadied his breathing, bending down to the wound. His eyes fixated one certain spot of the injury. The sixteen year old bent down to the injured leg. The needle in his hands wasn't trembling anymore. He steeled himself mentally, as he carefully pierced the skin of his older brother and began to pulling the thread through the skin.

 

Tadashi screamed at first but after a few moments his screams stilled down. *The painkiller must be already kicking in* He thought relieved. At least he could spare his big brother some pain this way. 

 

With new resolve Hiro brought the needle down anew, piercing Tadashi's skin for the second time, pulling the thread through his skin as blood dripped onto the towel which lay underneath his upper leg. Hiro kept breathing. Inhaling and exhaling in a steady rhythm, keeping his hands from shaking and his thoughts from buzzing.

 

After the third stitch Hiro's mind went on autopilot. 

 

Pulling.

 

Piercing skin.

 

Pulling.

 

Piercing skin.

 

Pulling.

 

Piercing skin.

 

Pulling.

 

With one last deep exhale, Hiro detached the needle from the thread, laying it into the opened first aid box.

 

Blood seeped out of the stitches.

 

''Hiro...'' Steven voiced, as he loosened his hold of Tadashi's legs. '' I think the next steps will be easier for you. In the drawer to your left I stored an extra blanket as well as a pair of blue sleep pants which you can lay near Tadashi when he wakes up, alright?'' The tall blonde man looked at the younger Hamada.

 

Hiro nodded trembling. '' Thanks..... really. ''

 

'' I did it because it was the right thing to do. My mother always said in conflicted situations ''Someone has to help'' and I grew tired after time to be the anybody, who waits for somebody to help. Therefore I became the someone which helps..ahh...sorry I trailed away'' Steven blushed embarrassed.

 

''I think your mother must be very proud of you'' Hiro stated smiling.

 

''Yes, she was.'' Steven replied, blue eyes going a little dull.

 

''Oh...I think won't say sorry...not because I'm rude..but because sorry, is a word which loses its validity after saying it too much...great loss is something, which can't be stemmed with a few words.'' Hiro uttered. '' As our parents died many people said, how sorry they were at out loss, but at every sorry which I've heard, I wanted to scream at them. Yelling that they didn't understand HOW painful it is.'' 

 

Hiro eyes traced to his older brother. ''You know...Tadashi said that they weren't really gone. That somehow they are still with us, guiding us, protecting us. Like stars shining down on us in the darkest hours..'' Hiro uttered. 

 

The thought of his parents suddenly pierced through his heart like a dagger. * What would they do if they saw them like that? Killing people. Making out against a wall?* Hiro shivered. Nausea crawled through his veins, up to his head. Almost making him vomit. 

 

In the blink of an eye, warm hands placed themselves on each side of Hiro's shoulders and pulled him close. Blue eyes looked at him. The dullness faded from the color. Steven was smiling at him 

 

''Thanks Hiro Hamada..don't lose hope ...I ...I-'' Steven looked at Hiro's big chocolate brown eyes, suddenly feeling a pull. Pulling him towards the younger Hamada, he shook his head and let go of Hiro's delicate shoulders. 

 

''I'll go and make some coffee this is going to be a long night -or should I say day? '' Steven pointed with his index finger on the wall, showing - 6am- in the morning. 

 

*Strange..I didn't even realize, how much time passed* Hiro thought wondering. He didn't even feel an ounce of fatigues in his bone.

 

''Thanks I'll need plenty of coffee, because I want to know about this cooperation, which decided to make my-and Tadashi's life a living hell'' Hiro said to Steven as he reached for the first aid box and pulled a soothing ointment out.

 

''When you're ready please come to the second door on the left.'' Steven announced smiling as he waved at him before he disappeared in the kitchen.

 

Hiro focused his attention back to Tadashi, putting the soothing ointment onto the injured , stitched up leg, before he bandaged it up in gentle movements. As he was finished, he bent down, pressing a light kiss onto the wound. As Tadashi always did when they were little and Hiro scratched up his leg by doing something reckless.

 

''Hiro...'' Tadashi mumbled in his sleep. 

 

Affection bubbled inside Hiro's stomach like a bunch of little butterflies. Lovingly, he reached out for the face of his older brother, gently dabbing off the blood on his face.

 

His eyes took in the lines of Tadashi.

 

Fondly, he bent down anew, placing a light kiss on every bruise of Tadashi's face.

 

Tadashi smiled lightly.

 

The younger Hamada stood up, placing all the things, which just helped him to treat the wounds of his brothers to the floor. The alcohol bottle, the first aid box, the bowl with water and the towel.

 

Hiro went to the mentioned drawer and pulled out a soft brown blanket and blue sleep pants. The younger Hamada arranged the sleep pants next to Tadashi, on the floor. The soft brown blanket, he placed tenderly over the battered body of his older brother. Hiro covered him up to his neck. *....He should stay warm...* Hiro thought with a smile on his lips. 

 

His eyes took in the face of his older brother once again. The younger Hamada had to use every available energy cell in his organism, to tear his eyes off Tadashi's face and to withstand the throbbing urge to lay down, next to his older brother, wrapping his lithe arms around his broad chested body.

 

*Wrong..its all so wrong..*

 

*But why..why does it feel so right?*

 

Even in his weakened state, Hiro scooped power from Tadashi's presence. 

 

His older brother always radiated a sense of security. He was always by Hiro's side. Hiro's own personal shining knight in armor. And it was strange, but nothing seemed to change this ironed fact. 

 

No Yakuza. 

No strange organization. 

No persistent voices. 

 

Hiro knew they would make it through this together. Bruised up but not broken. The sixteen year old sighed, his eyes tearing himself off his older brother as he left the room, closing the wooden door behind him. 

 

Demons were lurking. He knew the anxiety attack was only one breath away and it was an ounce nearer when Tadashi was not by his side.

 

But Hiro had to bear it.

 

To hold it in.

 

To stay strong.

 

He would not allow himself to fall apart unless he's got some answers. 

 

Answers, which he was just about to get.

 

~~~~~~~~~


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WAIT!...please note:
> 
> *......* -> someone's thoughts  
> ''......'' -> somebody speaks  
> ~~~~ ->indicates transition
> 
> :D Yay~ A big welcome to all of you dear special human beings who clicked on chapter 21 as well as all the kudo-leavers :D  
>    
> Aaaannd a special thanks to '' ~Plain_Blue_Nightingale, ~MuteHero86 and ~jimmywolfe for writing a comment in the previous chapter. (Really guys, you keep this story rolling ^^)
> 
> Writing this chapter was...interesting. ( Honestly, I nearly snapped, because the words didn't seem to like how I try to put them in place, I was like: ''Baby come back!''~ and the words were like: ''Hell no'') 
> 
> I think, this chapter is a little longer than chapter 19 aand it might have a few mistakes, but as always I would highly appreciate feedback :D ( and not in the throwing up kind of way xD)
> 
> Anyway...ENJOY reading chapter 21~
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The living room was plunged in a mildly white color, coming from the floor lamp, standing next to the couch. The camera system was still located at the corner of the room, catching every blind spots around the apartment complex. With the pulled down curtains, the room appeared rather like a cave and not like a living room from an expensive apartment. 

 

Hiro took a deep breath, as he maneuvered his trembling body to the second door on the left.  
His pointedly tried not to stare at the red stains on the Persian carpet. Stains, which were created by Tadashi's wound.

 

A trail of yellow light shone through the crack of the door next to him. The younger Hamada clutched his hands tighter against the dark fabric of Tadashi's black shirt, which hung down to his upper legs, making him look like he was fourteen years old again. A musky-yet fresh scent of lemons and mint surrounded him like a warm blanket. Comforting him. Keeping him warm.

 

Despite of the peaceful calmness of the apartment, his mind wouldn't stop moving. Calculating. Analyzing. His brain was on overdrive. The -what if's- and the -maybe's' were circling in his mind, like a desperate crowd of people, which were trapped in a tiny space, every person tried to get to the exit. His brain tried to obtain the best possible step that he can take.

 

*..What if the information, I'm about to receive is better left untold?...*

*...What if we can't trust this Steven-guy?....*

*...Maybe... this is a trap?.. ?*

*Maybe I should just wait till Tadashi is wakes up and we can sneak out and go home? Go back to our daily lives at the Lucky Cat cafe as well as the SFIT?...*

 

Hiro kept looking at the door. The door seemed to stare back at him.

 

* No. *

 

*I already crossed the point of no return. I crossed it, the moment I found out that the raven masked person who I was making out with, turned out to be my older brother. I crossed it, the moment I let the fox voice in my mind. It was crossed since Tadashi killed. And since I killed...*

 

Hiro took a deep breath, as he reached out and placed his hand on the door handle. With a soft click, the hazel brown door swung open. Yellow light shone on a seemingly unpeopled room. A room, a lot bigger than the one he and Tadashi shared. 

 

The blonde man called Steven Heartnet didn't seem to be here. Enough time for Hiro to explore the room on his own.

 

A long beige colored table, stood in the center of the room. Many papers and document folders, laid messily on top of it. The color of the paper sheets differed from pearly white to a dirty yellow. Sheets of paper were burying another couple of sheets beneath them. Two long white boards had a position near to window. A closed window, whose pulled down shutter hindered the yellow light to seep into the soft orange color of the morning sunrise. 

 

Scrapped newspaper articles littered the white boards. Some of them seemed old, others however, appeared newly cut out and freshly sellotaped onto the white surface. A red marker connected a few articles together, looking like a red spider web. Angry and threatening. Signalizing danger.

 

The room appeared to Hiro, like an investigation room of one of aunt's Cass favorite detective series. Crime series, she adored to watch at night, while cradling Mochi in her hands, eyes glued to the screen, as she relaxed from another working day at the Lucky Cat Cafe.

 

The thought of his aunt, unpitying lashed through Hiro's consciousness. And gnawed at him, like a hungry monster, out for blood. 

 

What would their aunt say, if she found about the mess in which Tadashi and Hiro involuntarily got caught up in?

 

A shiver went down Hiro's spine, injected by his fear. His fear of her reaction. She would freak out. She would find them disgusting. Or worse she would separate Tadashi from him. Hiro held his lithe hands, crossed in front of his chest, pressing the comforting dark fabric of Tadashi's shirt closer to his skin. The younger Hamada wished silently for Tadashi's soothing presence. 

 

His older brother always knew what to do in order to hold the panic at bay. The sixteen year old yearned for his strong arms, which would protectively sling around his back. Keeping him close. Keeping him safe. Calming him down.

 

But Tadashi wasn't next to him. He was a few doors away. Battered. Bruised. Sleeping. Healing.

 

Hiro's heart pounded unsteadily in his chest. He felt it beating, vibrating against his trembling arms. His feet dragged him towards one of the white boards. In order not to be trapped by his uprising panic, he guided his attention away from himself and pinpointed it elsewhere. Focusing on a different angle, like the older Hamada always preached. 

 

An article caught his eye. The scrapped newspaper was located in the middle of the whiteboard and circled with a red marker. A photograph of a smiling girl was placed next to the black lines. The younger Hamada turned his attention to the heading of the article.

 

=Missed 17-year old girl found dead=

 

Hiro gulped. The dead girl was uncannily close to his own age. 

 

With a foreshadowing feeling of dreadfulness, the younger Hamada bent forward, closer, in order to read the article.

 

=Alice Walker, the seventeen years old girl, who was announced missing four weeks ago, was found dead at the Central Kyoto park. A hobby jogger found her in the morning around 6 am. She had a bullet wound in her chest. The family members are in deep state of shock. If-=

 

Hiro tore his eyes away from the article. He couldn't read it anymore. Disappeared. Dead.

 

Dead like Tadashi could've been, if Hiro hadn't disarmed Yama.

 

The younger Hamada took a step back, trying to collect his thoughts into the right order, just as Steven Heartnet stepped into the research room. A rich scent of coffee filled Hiro's nostrils. With a smile on his lips, Steven took a step to Hiro and handed the younger Hamada a hot cup, which the sixteen year old placed thankfully into his palms, enjoying the warmth, radiating from it.

 

''Do you want to sit down?'' Steven Heartnet suggested with a caring voice, as he indicated to the wooden chair next to Hiro.

 

''Maybe you'll need something to sit on, as I'll try explain to you, this whole horrible situation'' The blonde man added. His voice wasn't as deep as Tadashi's, but he had a warm tone in it. Like honey in milk.

 

Hiro nodded hesitantly, as he slowly sat down on the mentioned chair. He drew small circles at the porcelain surface of the cup in his hands. Carefully, he placed the cup against his lips, trying to test, if he would burn his tongue in the process of drinking too hot coffee. After a few seconds, he took a small sip from the hot liquid and waited for the warmth to travel down to his stomach.

 

With a small sighed the younger Hamada placed the cup back onto the beige colored table, on a spot which wasn't surrounded by paper sheets.

 

''Sorry for the mess.'' Steven Heartnet expressed while he scratched his left cheek nervously and reached out to move some sheets of paper away, giving Hiro more space. Space which the younger Hamada used to support his elbows on the table. 

 

Normally, Hiro would have leaned back, balancing on two chair legs while he put his feet on the table and used his hands as a pillow to support his head. But he was not home, in his room. And if Tadashi and aunt Cass managed to teach Hiro something, then it was the fact that his feet didn't belong onto a table, which didn't belong to him. The younger Hamada took another sip from the coffee and breathed out, before glancing at Steven, waiting for the blonde man to start his explanation.

 

The tall blonde man bent down, hands disappearing under the beige colored table, before he revealed a small black bag and a document folder. He placed both items right next to Hiro. Then he also sat down on a wooden chair. Steven Heartnet fidgeted nervously, his eyes trailing from the items to the younger Hamada.

 

The blue eyed man cleared his throat. His eyes lingered on the sixteen year old.

 

'' Honestly..Hiro.. I don't know how to start.. to explain this to you...but I want you to know that I'm on your and your older brother's side. '' Steven Heartnet began, before he continued to speak. '' You've certainly may have noticed all the information which is filling this room. Most of them are connected to you and your brother's current situation, because they are all connected to the Cain Cooperation.''

 

Hiro raised his brow, questioningly. ''You've mentioned them earlier. Can you tell me what's so special about them? Are they somehow behind the Royal Masquerade? Behind the masks? The voices?'' The younger Hamada asked, trying to keep his voice down.

 

''It's..I think it's better to explain once you've read through this folder '' Steven handed Hiro the document folder which he had pulled out from under the long table. On the document folder stood the lettering RA2015 and FO2015. 

 

As the younger Hamada adjusted the folder in his hands, Steven Heartnet continued.

 

'' This folder contains information, which I managed to copy from the original folder of the Cain Cooperation. But if you want to understand what is happening to you right now. You'll first have to understand how the Cain Cooperation came into being'' Steven stated, his honey voice sounded concerned as if he wasn't sure how the sixteen year old would take the information.

 

''Yay..a history lesson. The icing, I needed on the top of this already excellent cake of shitty events'' The younger Hamada remarked with deadpan humor, as he rubbed his eyes and took another sip from the warm coffee.

 

''I'm sorry..'' The sixteen year old announced as he placed the coffee back onto the table. His chocolate brown eyes looking apologetically into the blue eyes of Steven Heartnet. ' This whole thing...it is a little too much to take without getting snarky.''

 

''It's alright. Don't worry'' Steven Heartnet announced warmly while continued with his explanation.

 

''The Cain Cooperation has been founded five years ago in the underground of San Fransokyo, built up by the hands of a fearsome woman called Violet Green. Their goal was to take control over the whole city with as small losses as possible. They wanted to make profit, wanted to make money and gain the influence over valuable authorities. But they didn't have the control over the weaponry like the Yakuza did. '' 

 

Steven went on.

 

''Instead of buying weaponry, they wanted to built their own weaponry. Weaponry which should be much more dangerous than the original revolver. And that's when their experiments came into play. Violet Green wanted to dig into the human mind. She wanted to built a device with which she could take control over people's minds. Turning them into her puppets. Three years passed and one experiment failed after another. People were picked from the street or taken into custody in order to test their brainwave capability.''

 

''And experiments, who weren't needed anymore, were disposed. Experiments like Alice Walker.'' Steven Heartnet pointed at the newspaper wall behind Hiro's head.

 

Hiro's hands trembled anew, as he increased his grip onto warm cup.

 

''Two years ago, one of Violet's subordinates visited the showcase projects of the San Fransokyo Institute of Technology. He was utterly fascinated by the project of a fourteen year old genius prodigy, who controlled his microbots through his neurotransmitter.'' Steven averted his eyes, looking at down, at the folder right beside the younger Hamada.

 

Hiro was glad that he just hadn't taken another sip from the coffee, because he would have spilled it all over the desk. ''The fire. The showcase fire. It was staged by the Cain Cooperation, wasn't it?'' The younger Hamada asked, trying to stomach the newly heard information.

 

''Yes. It was'' Steven Heartnet replied concerned.. ''Fortunately no person was harmed during the fire. Except for all the inventions which were located there. The subordinate used the mass panic and took the neurotransmitter into his hands. Sneaking it into the hands of Violet Green''

 

Nausea was creeping through Hiro's veins.

 

''Let me guess...they wanted to figure out how to reverse the brainwave signals of my neurotransmitter? Instead of being able to control electromagnetic waves, they tried to figure out how to adapt these effects on neurotic brainwaves?'' Hiro stated, his throat suddenly went dry.

 

''Yes..'' Steven could only utter. '' Long time ago they were paying people money or snatched them from the street in order to have their experiment subjects. But after a while the police became suspicious and the Cain Cooperation decided try out something new. The Royal Masquerade was a concept to lure young people in. They needed especially young people because they think, they could be influenced more easier'' As Steven finished his sentence he reached for the black bag and uncovered an awfully familiar fox and raven mask and placed them in front of Hiro.

 

The sixteen year old inhaled sharply. Before he opened his mouth in order to speak. ''Let me guess anew.... I am experiment FO2015 and Tadashi is experiment RA2015'' The younger Hamada didn't wait for an answer. The folder right next to him seemed to grin gleefully at him. Shaking, the sixteen year old pulled it closer and opened the folder.

 

Firstly, he was confronted with different biorhythms, diagrams and numerical values.

 

Steven's voice sounded softly through his buzzing brain. ''Every mask has the goal to increase animalistic brainwaves of the mask wearer, in order to suppress the rational brainwaves step by step, turning people to slaves of their own animalistic selves. The Cain Cooperation believes that animals are far easier to control and to condition than humans.  
Each mask tests a different set of animal vibes on the mask wearer. Once the mask had been placed onto the subjects head, it begins to sent signals to his brain. Even if the mask wearer takes the mask off, it still continues to sent those neurotic signals into his brain.''

 

''Are those masks still sending those signals?'' Hiro asked, looking with leery eyes at the masks. Like he expected them to attack him suddenly. His hand trembled, itched with the desire to slam these masks into pieces. ''Are you sure that you disconnected the signals?'' The younger Hamada asked hesitantly, focusing his attention to Steven.

 

''Yes. Don't worry, I disconnected them, right at the moment I found them in the alley'' Steven stated reassuringly. His blue eyes shone in firm belief.

 

The tension in Hiro's shoulders lessened a little. ''Those signals...I think they were transfered through a voice ..Steven..I..I... I've heard a voice inside my head..It sounded like my own..just a little different..huskier and sugar coated...as it spoke to me, it always tried to lure me in. To make me submit....and ..I..oh god...'' Hiro pressed his hands against his ears as if he was trying to block out some invisible sound. He bit his lip and slowly detached his hands from his head. His eyes traveled down to the cup of coffee. He took another sip and swallowed the whole liquid down, which already lost its warmth.

 

''Please continue..'' Hiro hated himself for sounding so weak right now. With new resolve he flipped another page of the document folder, eyes tracing around the different data.

 

Worriedly Steven looked at him, before complied Hiro's request. ''The Cain Cooperation ...searches for subjects with the highest brainwave capability, because the higher the brainwave capability is, the bigger is the chance of the animalistic brainwaves to take over the rational brainwaves like the cooperation wants them to. Most of the experiments didn't adapt the way they wanted them to, they went lunatic. The Cain Cooperation picked them up and made them disappear. Arranging traffic accidents and cases of drug overdose.''

 

Hiro flipped another page of the folder in his hands. His trembling hands.

 

Steven took a deep breath. ''Hiro..I'm sorry...but you need to know that I....I worked for them...Not long ago, I worked for the Cain Cooperation, because I believed in all the lies, which they fed me with. They told me that they could use my help, to make the world a better place. To make San Fransokyo a better place. This room, as well as this apartment, had belonged to Edward Walker. He was the father of the girl called Alice.''

 

The blond man took a shaky breath, his eyes started to burn. ''Edward collected all this information, which you see. He was the only one who wasn't scared to face the Cain Cooperation. I also tried to find other people. Family members of victims, who have lost their lives. But everyone else was scared. Edward Walker wasn't. He was too reckless. Wanted to get revenge for his only daughter. He was too reckless and he died. And I..I couldn't save him'' Steven inhaled deeply as he massaged his tired eyes. There weren't anymore tears left which he could cry for his lost friend.

 

Hesitantly he looked at thee younger Hamada. '' I don't...I don't want anyone else to suffer. I'm on your side Hiro.''

 

The younger Hamada nodded slowly. ''I believe you...and I think Edward Walker was one hell of a guy. This information which he collected, it wasn't for nothing. I'm sorry to ask so suddenly but I need to know, what...was your job at the Cain Cooperation?'' Brown eyes stared in blue eyes.

 

''I worked as a hacker...My first task was to identify your and your brother's identity. They watched your brainwaves through the monitors since the day you put the mask on. The Cain Cooperation wanted to capture both of you, when the time was ready and you reached the 100% capability.''

 

Steven reached out and flipped the page. 

 

''Here you can see your brainwave results over the last week. By putting pressure on your brainwaves, they created -the voice, which you mentioned earlier. The voice is the animalistic manifestation of your subconsciousness.''

 

Steven noticed Hiro's look of utterly devastation. He knew that the following information could be the final blow, but he promised him to give him answers.

 

''The worst part about this whole situation is.... that they finally found two subjects with the highest capability in their recordings...That's why they will try to hunt you and your brother... Hiro...would you please turn to page 35?'' Steven Heartnet asked, his voice was quivering.

 

Hiro gulped, as did what he'd been just told. A new statistic came into view.

 

''These are the last data which were collected, before I shut the connection off'' The blue eyed man announced. His warm voice, dripped with regret.

 

Hiro stared at the information with eyes wide open. ''..99,99% reached by subject RA2015?..and...and..99,89% by subject FO2015?..'' Hiro read stuttering, his hazel brown eyes staring disbelieving at the data in front of him. The numbers seemed to dance mockingly behind his eyelids. Expanding, hammering cruelly into his brain. Anxiety throbbed through his nervous system. A scream tried to force its way through his throat, but Hiro stopped it. Choked it down, until nothing but a mere whimper filled the room. The younger Hamada pressed his knuckles against his mouth, trying to muffling the noise, coming from his throat.

 

''Are..are... you telling me that Tadashi could be turned into some sort of animal, if he wakes up next time? That he...that he probably..oh god..this..this 0,01 % away from 100% capability...could have been already...reached as I was captured by the Yakuza and Tadashi .....snapped. Killing them...He killed people....in order to free me and I- I..this..this....'' Hiro whispered frantically, his hands, holding himself together like he was on the verge of falling apart.

 

Acid tears prickled in his eyes but Hiro still refused to be captured by helplessness.

 

'' Maybe...maybe.. I've also crossed the line. The 0,11 % which was missing?! I...I ..remember how..Yama ..pressed the gun against my skin..how he..how...he spoke about raping...oh god...'' Hiro pressed his arms against his chest and rocked back and forth, trying to calm down.

 

''I was scared..I was so scared...He pointed the gun at Tadashi and told me if..if..I..didn't submit..he would shot him...kill him...I ...was downright terrified..I was never so terrified in my life....and a signal...something was in my head...and I- I didn't know how but I felt a sudden rush of confidence and I-my voice, my body...turned strange....I...remember..tempting...him.. , catching him off guard....I disarmed him. He wanted to grab the gun but I was faster... and I pulled the trigger.....again ..again and again....does...does.. this mean I reached the 100 capability?....Ste..ven..what do you think...think?'' 

 

Hiro's breathing went unstable, he was on the edge of hyperventilating. His vision got blurry. His heart seemed to reverberate in his head.

 

Suddenly, Steven was in his field of vision. The younger Hamada could even see a mole on his face, which he didn't notice before. It was slightly above his left eyebrow. ''Hiro please calm down. Deep breaths. Take deep breaths. In and out in and out..'' He ordered calmly with his warm concerned voice. Ocean blue eyes looked at him reassuringly. Like he was a human being. And not a monster.

 

Hiro inhaled and exhaled slowly. Like he'd been told. Even if he had this persistently nagging feeling in his chest that he should breathe a lot faster in order to fill his lungs with as much air as possible. He started to count mentally. Inhaling and exhaling with every new number. 

 

*..one..inhale....two..exhale...three.. inhale..four.. inhale...no..come on... exhale...inhale.. slow...slower....five..inhale...six..exhale...seven..inhale...eight..exhale...nine..inhale....* 

 

The younger Hamada kept counting as he gently rocked back and forth, trying to stem his panic attack.

 

Steven couldn't watch this any longer. He reached out and placed his hands on Hiro's delicate shoulders, which were trembling violently. ''Hiro.. it could be very possible that your brother and you already adapted a few animalistic vibes.... BUT that doesn't mean that you've turned to animals. To puppets. You are still you. That you and your brother decided to follow me here, is the living proof that you are still able to control your body and your mind. The Cain Cooperation hasn't won. You're still a human being'' 

 

Steven's voice reached through Hiro's buzzing mind.

 

Slowly the younger Hamada snapped out of his panic attack. For him it felt like finally breathing air, after being underwater for so long. Hope. There was still hope. Steven Heartnet's words gave him hope. 

 

''How can how can we turn it back?! How can we turn back to normal? There has to be a way out of this! See that?'' Hiro's index finger trembled as he pointed to page 57 of the folder. It showed a photograph of a fox masked and a raven masked boy, making out in the grand dance hall of the Royal Masquerade.

 

The face of the younger Hamada changed from unhealthily pale white to an embarrassed and humiliated red.

 

''This...this is gross...I and......my big brother like THIS....and I how...could they..'' The sixteen year old suppressed a sob. The worst part was: Now he knew certainly that Tadashi was being manipulated. He knew his older brother didn't love him the way he did.

 

He inhaled sharply, biting his lip, looking away, away from the picture.

 

With a soft sound, Steven closed the folder and placed it away from Hiro's sight of view. ''Don’t worry Hiro, I know they’ve manipulated you and your brother. The masks must have sensed your biological data and as a result it may have triggered some kind of deep attraction. Cain Cooperation's leader Violet Green, would stoop to anything to get her way. It isn't your fault.'' 

 

Steven Heartnet's eyes shone with so much earnestly and trustingly that Hiro felt absolutely filthy at the moment.

 

He lied to Steven. His emotion's weren't manipulated for his older brother. Even before the Royal Masquerade, even before the Yakuza and the shooting. He always loved his older brother a lot more than he should. More than a younger brother should. *Help..I need to help Tadashi...somehow... there has to be a way* as Hiro stood up, he noticed how the contours of the room mixed with each other for a second. Yellow. Beige. White. 

 

Alarmingly, the blonde man wrapped an arm around Hiro, in order to hold him stable as the younger Hamada began to stagger. 

 

Hiro rubbed his tired eyes and took a deep breath. 

 

''Thank you for this shared information Steven. Tomorrow...or in our case tonight...I'm going to try to reverse the effects of the masks. This Cain Cooperation shouldn't toy with people's lives like that... I would do it today but I think..I think I'll need to rest a little and stomach this information'' 

 

Hiro patted slightly Steven's shoulder, signalizing him it was okay to let go, signalizing him he was ready to stand on his own feet.

 

''Are you really okay? Maybe I should accompany you. Do you need water? Tea? A warm blanket? Something to eat? I have frozen pizza in the fridge..I know it's not healthy but-''

 

''Steven'' Hiro cut him off. A crooked smile appeared on his lips. ''It's alright, thanks for everything....please..would you kindly tell me, where the restroom is located? I think I need to clean myself....I feel like the scent of blood is still clinging to my skin..''

 

The tall blonde man looked completely caught off guard by the smile. He fidget before he relaxed. ''Okay. The bathroom is right on the left, next to the kitchen. If you want, there is another guest room next to the balcony on the right.''

 

''Once again, thanks Steven I don't know what Tadashi and I would do without you...Sleep well'' The younger Hamada announced, smiling gently at him as he left the room, heading for the bathroom.

 

Steven looked at the spot where Hiro left with sad eyes. * what a poor boy...* He sighed as his eyes traced lines around the scrapped newspaper articles of the whiteboards. They stopped, lingering on the picture of Alice Walker. The tall blonde man remembered the sorrowful expression on Edward's face as he talked about the loss of his only daughter. Edward Walker who was also dead. 

 

The twenty-seven year old man gritted his teeth as anger started to spread through his system. 

 

*I will make them pay...I won't allow them to use the Hamada brothers for their experiments like that...* With determination running through his blood, Steven switched the light off and went to his own bedroom, sitting down in front of his personal computer. He couldn't sleep. Not now. He had to help. The faster the better. He had to find clues, other pieces of information about the Royal Masquerade. About Violet Green.

 

He had to- he yawned-. His fingers danced through the keyboard until his head was too tired and too heavy. He didn't even noticed how his head sunk further and further, after finally resting beside the keyboard. Sleep taking a hold of him.

 

~~~~~

 

With shaking hands the younger Hamada turned the light of the windowless bathroom on. His lithe hands closed the wooden door behind him. Hiro stood in the center of the Victorian styled bathroom as his panic attack finally broke free. Like a monster which trashed through its chains until it managed to break said chains.

 

Unscrupulous piercing anxiety burst through his blood as he sunk to the ground, putting his hands in front of his ears in order to shut his own thoughts away. Fear. Pain. Stinging fear and agonizing pain crawled through his mind and even if the fox voice remained silent, he imagined how gleefully it would laugh at him at the moment. Laughed at how miserably he looked right now or how he finally got what he wanted.

 

Forcefully, Hiro squeezed his eyes shut. At least when its dark all around him , he could pretend that everything was nothing but a bad dream. *Nothing but a bad dream..nothing but a bad dream..a bad dream...*

 

Out of the blue the memories which he suppressed, invaded his mind. Tadashi- how he killed one Yakuza after another, with an unforgiving boring gaze in his expression, painting the street with a bloody red. A body collapsed after another like a domino effect. Hiro remembered how Yama pressed his disgusting sweaty body against Hiro's naked upper body. How his hands traced down his bare stomach. Bile rose from Hiro's throat. This time he couldn't stop the mighty feeling of nausea creeping over him. Hurriedly he crawled on his four legs to the toilet, vomiting aunt Cass' breakfast from yesterday into the water.

 

He whimpered as another stinging bile rose up from his throat and the orange colored vomit, turned slowly into a white invisible liquid. Gastric acid. After he was finished, he flushed the toilet. With shaking feet he crawled to the sink, before he grabbed the porcelain surface and tried to pull himself from the ground. 

 

* More...stronger...stronger...* With a huff Hiro finally stood on his own legs again. The face which greeted him in the mirror sent a shiver down his spine. Blue circles shimmered beneath his red stained eyes. His face was paler than the wall next to him. The younger Hamada turned the water on and cleaned his hands, using the pink colored soap which was placed next to the sink. 

 

His vision was still a little blurry around the edges, his hands contorted their form in front of him. He inhaled and exhaled, trying to stabilize his breath. The pink colored soap, seemed suddenly one trace too red. Bloody red. Red like the bullet holes, forming of Yama's lifeless body. And the worst part is. Inspite of killing a human-he felt something like satisfaction in his bones. Satisfaction for killing the person who nearly raped him and who threatened to kill Tadashi.

 

As the soap dissolved, he formed his hands to a cup and used the cold water to rinse his throat, allowing him to remove the taste of vomit in his mouth. As the last stinging traces faded, he reached out and splashed the water on his pale and sweaty skin. 

 

*I have to be strong...we live...Tadashi lives...I live..everything is going to be alright...everything is going to be fine....Tadashi will be okay..he will be okay...* 

 

A blurry heat pulsated through Hiro like an illness. Pounding in his heart. hammering against this blood. Slowly, he took his clothes off. The black jeans fell to his knees, followed by dark purple colored boxer briefs. Boxer briefs, which had dry stains on them. Hiro gulped as he thought about the way how he felt the brushing friction of his older brother's midsection against his own. 

 

Tadashi's black shirt was the last article of clothing which Hiro wore on his lithe body. He took a deep breath. Instead of two hands, he seemed to see four. The blurriness didn't fade away. The younger Hamada exhaled slowly, before inhaling again, as he reluctantly unbuttoned his black shirt. The black shirt of his older brother was like a protective barrier. Shielding him against all evil. But Hiro needed to feel the water. He had to give up the barrier in order to wash all this dirty and sinful feelings away.

 

Unlike, the other two articles of clothing which he carelessly left on the floor, he folded the black shirt of Tadashi neatly and he gently put it on the top of a mahogany shelf. 

 

The younger entered the shower and turned the water on the coldest setting, wanting to free himself from this ill blurry heat, throbbing in his veins. Clouding his mind. He arranged the shower head into a position, where it would only reach his shoulders. Sparing his hair. 

 

As the cold water finally hit his skin, it was like a sharp slap in his face. Goosebumps appeared on his legs and arms. On reflex, he put his arms in front of his stomach and hissed, as he felt a bruise, throbbing against his skin. He looked down. Right next to his navel a print of a fist was visible. Shining in a blueish color. It was the bruise Yama left, because Hiro dared to scream for help.

 

Hiro closed his eyes and let the cold water take him away. Somehow, he imagined Tadashi's presence right beside him. Holding him tightly, whispering in his ear that everything will be alright. That he had to stay strong. That he would keep him save.

 

After turning the water down, the younger Hamada stepped out of the shower, grabbing the nearest towel and started to towel himself down. He picked his dark purple boxer briefs from the floor and put them on. His eyes traced around the room, before they lingered on the neatly folded black shirt. He was beginning to feel cold. At least the ill heat disappeared from his body. 

 

The younger Hamada put Tadashi's shirt on and buttoned it up, without looking down. His body wasn't as hot anymore but his vision was still blurry. After grabbing his trousers, he left the bathroom, not noticing how the black fabric hung loosely around his lithe shoulders, revealing the marks on his cream colored skin. He missed a button and therefore Tadashi's hung even more loosely around his shoulders.

 

With unsteady feet, he made his way to the guest room, where his older brother slept. The faint light of the living room along with the soft flicker of the monitors, helped him to orientate himself in the new unfamiliar place. 

 

As he opened the wooden door, he saw how the face of his older brother, scrunched slightly up, as if he was fighting trying to fight something. Hiro felt like he gulped down a stone. *What will happen if Tadashi wakes up? Will he still be the same? Or will he turn into some kind of stranger?* 

 

*No...no..everything will be alright* Hiro thought as he placed his dark skinny jeans right next to the queen sized bed and came closer to his older brother. Trails of sunlight shone through the closed curtains, plunging everything into a gentle yellow color, as Hiro sat down next to his older brother. 

 

A flick of hair hung messily in front of Tadashi's bruised face.

 

Hiro chuckled softly, as he reached out and tenderly brushed it away. Sometimes it was a little weird to see his older brother without his cap. He always wore it, from the time on as Hiro gave it to him as a present. He wore it in the lab and while working at the cafe. Always.  
And aunt Cass even had to lay out a rule for Tadashi not to wear it on their movie nights.

 

Hiro looked at his older brother. His vision was still blurry, he bent down and placed a light kiss on his forehead. The kiss ended up on Tadashi's nose. ''Finding hope in a hopeless situation.. something which you are always good at...Please...please fight...Tadashi...I don't want to lose you.....'' Hiro whispered against the battered skin of his older brother, before he retreated and laid down beside him, curling up to a small ball next to him. Making himself appear as small as possible. 

 

Like he did when they were small and their parents died. Hiro shivered.

 

Gently, the younger Hamada reached out and took Tadashi's warm left hand and placed it lightly against his face. Tadashi's hand was still covered by a black fingerless glove. The metallic scent of blood seeped through the leather, clinging to him like a disease but Hiro didn't let go of the ill-treated hand, which always ruffled kindly through his hair, or caressed his back when he was in distress.

 

Hiro didn't let go. Next to the scent of death, another scent was hiding. A fresh fragrance of lemons and mint was hiding underneath the metallic bloody scent. The sixteen year old would always be able to filter the scent out of million others. Even if Tadashi's fragrance decided to play hide and seek with him. Hiro would always be the one to find it. Despite the situation. Despite the amount of other scents.

 

Tenderly, he rubbed his cheek slightly against the rough hand, which was still radiating warmth. ''Please don't leave me..'' Hiro mumbled. If Hiro Hamada wasn't something- than it was definitely a believer. He was never much of a religious person, because he believed in science and facts, not in myths or miracles. Even so as he held the hand of his older brother, he did something which he never did before.

 

He prayed.

 

Praying silently, hoping his older brother wouldn't dissolve into a stranger at the next moment in which he would open his eyes. Hiro prayed even if he knew deep down that god probably wouldn't help sinner like him.

 

Hiro's eyes were getting heavier and heavier with each passed second, the lines were getting blurrier as he finally surrendered, falling asleep, letting the previous incidents as well as the weariness take its toll on him.

 

''Ta..dashi..'' Hiro mumbled softly, snoring lightly against the bedsheets. Hiro was out for good, not noticing how his older brother shifted, stretching his arms out, placing Hiro into his battered arms, before tugging at the blanket, which Hiro had originally placed on him, as he arranged it onto the unconscious sleeping form of his precious baby brother. 

 

Tadashi placed the fluffy head gently against his own broad chest. Lovingly, he pressed a light kiss on Hiro's hair. ''I'll never leave you..'' He whispered softly against the ebony colored hair, as he began to caress Hiro's head. His eyes were fixated straightly to the ceiling above them. 

 

He didn't dare to look at Hiro's his creamy shoulder. Didn't dare to look at his slightly open mouth or the way his lithe hands unconsciously grabbed a hold of his black wife-beater, clenching his tender fingers around the black fabric. Holding onto it, as if he would sense that Tadashi was on the verge of falling apart.

 

Tadashi Hamada was fighting a war inside. And he was nearly as determined as now not to lose this fight.

 

He kept staring at the ceiling. His hand, still caressing softly Hiro's head. *Never....I'll never leave you...Hiro I love you so much..so ..much...that it scares me..it's much more than you can ever imagine....but I will protect you...even if it turns out to be the last thing I will do.''  
Tadashi thought determined while he listened to the light snoring of his younger sibling. 

 

The older Hamada held Hiro, like he was the most precious treasure in the world.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

With a groan Steven Heartnet woke up from his deep slumber. He turned his head to the right and realized how late it already was. He basically slept throughout the whole day. The clock showed on his personal computer showed him: it was 17 o'clock in the evening. Saturday. With a groan he lifted his heavy head up. Coffee. He certainly needed some coffee. And he needed it right now.

 

Eight hours ago, he tried to search for more information, but he didn't get as far with revealing secret information as he'd liked to have.

 

He had the worst dream of his life. He had been haunted by dead bodies as he run away. But in the end, it wasn't the dead, which killed him. No. He would've have preferred it. Welcomed them with open arms. It would've been better than being shot by Violet Green. 

 

In his nightmare, she pulled the trigger. She-the snake, had been dangerously grinning as she cornered him and put him down. Steven wondered, if he had bad dreams, he didn't want to know what the Hamada brother's dreamed at night. 

 

They were much closer to the epicenter of this catastrophe than he was.

 

With a shudder, the tall blonde man walked out of the room. And he sensed right away that something was off. Didn't he close the door to the research room last night? And didn't he placed the document folder back to the room? Why was it lying here on the couch? 

 

A strangely familiar scent drifted through the living room. A scent which he couldn't quite place. The scent came from the kitchen.

 

Steven Heartnet braced himself mentally. He didn't knew who the person in his kitchen was. With careful footsteps he made his way towards the room. The curtains were still pulled down, but it wasn't as dark anymore as it had been last night or day-or. ''Arghh..'' Steven frustratingly ruffled his head. Coffee. He needed coffee. 

 

Besides, he shouldn't panic. Nobody could have broke into his apartment without him noticing. His camera system was more reliable than most could ever hope to be.

 

With new determination he opened the door to the kitchen. He was surprised to find none other than Tadashi Hamada standing behind the counter, wearing the blue sweatpants, which Steven had stored in the shelf of the guest room. 

 

The older Hamada seemed to be making pancakes, fried eggs and bacon. The pan was sizzling as the twenty-three year old, added another egg and kept looking after the pancake and the bacon at the same time. Turning them to the side. Preventing them from getting burned.

 

Steven Heartnet stood awkwardly in the doorway. He certainly didn't expect to see the older Hamada so soon. And more specifically, so ...normal. The blue eyed man stared at the back of the twenty-three year's old neck as if it was a puzzle. He wanted to say something, but he didn't know how to approach him.

 

Maybe like... hey remember me? I helped you and your little brother to escape from the police after I found you both in the center of seven dead bloody bodies? No that would be strange..maybe like... hey..are you alright? I mean are you still, you know, you and not somebody else?

 

Thoughts were racing through Steven's mind as Tadashi's voice silenced them.

 

''What are you standing here for? Come in. It's your kitchen, isn't it? ah..and please close the door behind you, I don't want to wake Hiro up. He still needs to rest.'' Tadashi's voice was friendly but also a little raspy. Even if it sounded caring, it was suspicious, like the calm silence before the storm.

 

Steven followed Tadashi's order and closed the door behind him. 

 

As he slowly approached the kitchen counter, Tadashi turned himself to his direction. Steven was kinda shocked to see the bruised face of the older Hamada. He was smiling lightly. But the smile couldn't conceal the tired bags under his eyes. Or the haunted look in them. His shoulders looked tense, like guitar strings which were strung too tight.

 

Hesitantly Steven smiled back. Still at a loss of words. If he thought that confronting the younger Hamada with the information had been awkward, he certainly didn't consider how confronting the older Hamada would be. Especially in such a state.

 

The blonde man hesitantly sat down at the counter. And watched how Tadashi turned the coffee machine on. 

 

''Thanks'' He expressed with a friendly tone, trying to appear to the older Hamada as non-threatening as possible.

 

''I'd like to excuse myself for the red stains on your Persian carpet as well as for using your kitchen without your permission. It's just ..that doing something normal, calms me down. Cooking is something like a routine for me. Normalcy. Especially now, where I'm in desperate need of this small piece of normalcy...'' The older Hamada spoke out as he took a few steps from the coffee machine to the pan and placed the finished pancake on a plate with four others on it, before turning his attention back to the fried eggs and the roasted bacon.

 

Steven noticed how he limped. Nervously, he cleared his throat. ''Don't worry..I don't know how to cook anyway. I'm more accustomed to use the microwave instead of the oven...'' The blonde man mentioned jokingly. '' By the way how..how is your leg?'' He asked hesitantly.

 

''Better. Much better. Thanks for helping us ...I know it's kinda late to introduce myself properly but I'm Tadashi. Tadashi Hamada'' The older Hamada turned himself around and offered his bandaged hand for a handshake. Slightly taken aback Steven took the offered hand. 

 

''I'm-'' He tried to say but Tadashi already cut him off. ''Steven Heartnet. 27 years old. American. Blood type B positive. Used to work for the Cain Cooperation as a hacker. I could go on..but I need to take care of the pancakes.'' Tadashi turned around and walked over to his dish, turning the pancake around in the pan, before he started to place the fried eggs and the roasted bacon into two different thermostatic bowls.

 

Once again Steven Heartnet was speechless. Something was off. Something about the older Hamada was sending shiver's down his spine. Injecting fear into his veins.

 

''I hope you don't mind that I played being a little hacker myself. But it's only fair that I dig out a information about you, since you've seem to have gathered so much information about Hiro and me, don't you think? Don't worry...I trust you. Here, have some coffee, you look like you need a strong black one..'' Tadashi placed the cup in front of very staggered Steven.

 

''Should I call you Steven or Mr. Heartnet?'' Tadashi asked, furrowing his brow slightly.

 

''Steven..Steven is just fine..I'm sorry if I ask so bluntly, but how much do you know..?'' Steven Heartnet looked questioningly at Tadashi.

 

''I went to your research room...that's why I know everything. About the Royal Masquerade. About the Cain Cooperation as well as about the reason why you seem to stare so afraid at me, as if I would snap at any seconds and storm out of the apartment killing people...or kill you...Look.. I've seen the folders...I've seen it all. The percentage. The pitiful 0,01 % and I feel it. Right know. Crawling beneath my skin...I awoke as soon as Hiro went to sleep. Crying. Clutching to my hand. Whispering that I shouldn't leave him'' 

 

Tadashi sighed, rubbing his tired eyes as he turned away. Taking the pancake out, placing another fluid dough on the pan. Watching it sizzle.

 

''But honestly..Steven..it's very good to know that you're afraid of me....you have every reason to be. Currently, I am under high voltage. Every part in my being screams at me, shouting that I shouldn't be here. That I should be with Hiro. Telling me that I should take him away, far away, to have him for my own...to-'' Tadashi brought a hand down his upper leg and squeezed it tightly. Right at he place which Hiro stitched up yesterday night. 

 

The older Hamada hissed, scrunching his face up, before exhaling slowly through his mouth.

 

Tadashi countered Steven's bewildered expression with a crooked smile.

 

'' The pain is the only thing which keeps me from snapping. The only thing which helps me to control these sickening impulses, which these so called 'animalistic manifestation of my subconsciousness' keeps on sending through my brain. Steven ..you don't know how this feels. It's almost unbearable to be near him, but without him everything, my whole mind seems to crumble down. Without him, I'll transform into a madman.''

 

Tadashi turned his head away and started to peel the last pancake of the pan. placing it onto the plate. Only now Steven noticed how his bandaged hands were shaking. 

 

''I wanted to ran away. To go as far away from him as possible, in order to keep him save. But I can't. It's selfish but he is my everything. I'll stay as long by his side as he needs me. Steven please listen to me now'' 

 

Tadashi bent forward. His cinnamon eyes seemed to stare holes into Steven's blue one's. His expression was full of grim determination.

 

''I know my little brother is a genius, but I don’t know if he is able to detach this monster from my mind. Listen closely...I need ...I need to keep him safe and not only from the Cain Cooperation but as well as from me. From myself. Steven, I need you to watch after him. As soon as Hiro wakes up, we will surely make plans about how to take this company apart from head to toe. But we can only stay till Sunday. Next Monday we will have to go back to SFIT. Back to our usual environment. It would be rather suspicious, if we weren't present after what happened with the Yakuza..... In the main time, I need you to obtain a stun gun for Hiro. One, which he can use, if..if..I can't keep it under control. Please try to obtain it as fast as you can. I keep fighting as long as it takes, but you have to be ready all the time.'' 

 

Tadashi retreated from Steven's sight of view. He took a few steps back and put his hands on his head, as if he was fighting a persistent headache.

 

''Promise..me..promise to keep him safe, alright?'' The older Hamada pleaded with croaky voice, his whole figure was trembling. He looked like an addict on a drug withdrawal.

 

''Yes. I promise. I'll do my best to obtain this stun gun as well as to keep an eye on Hiro as well as you...and don't underestimate yourself..I think you're a good guy and you are strong..don't worry..I never broke a promise. You can count on me'' Steven Heartnet answered, his blue eyes shone with the same determination as Tadashi's.

 

Tadashi exhaled slowly. This conversation alone seemed to have drained a lot of energy from him. Tiredly, he leaned against the counter. ''Thanks'' His face pulled into on honest smile. A smile which was a slap in Steven's face, because it showed the real Tadashi Hamada. The innocent college student who got caught up in the trap of the Cain Cooperation.

 

Some of the tension left from Tadashi. He looked like a huge weight has been lifted off his shoulders. Steven was glad that Tadashi entrusted him this information. It meant he wouldn't be the only one shouldering the burden. 

 

Suddenly, Tadashi's whole face seemed to freeze. Slightly, Steven tilted his head to the side and noticed the reason for his change. Hiro stood in the doorway. The heart of the blonde man stopped at the sight in front of him. The younger Hamada looked so vulnerable and so adorable at the same time. Steven mentally smacked himself. Now was not the time to let his mind even wander in that direction.

 

Hiro stood there in a black shirt which was revealing far too much skin on his left creamy shoulder, due to a misplaced buttoned up button. The shirt was hanging down to his upper legs. His smooth, silky looking legs. Steven turned away.

 

''Ta..Tadashi..'' Hiro whispered the name of his older brother, like a silent prayer. His big chocolate brown eyes analyzed the black haired young man in front of him, who wore a slightly nine o'clock shadow in his face. Nervously, he tugged at his shirt, unsure, caught in between. 

 

Silence.

 

It took Tadashi a few moments to wake up from his trance. Slowly a smile spread through his face. A smile which even managed to sneak into his eyes. He lit up softly, like a Christmas tree. He seemed younger now. Closer to his actual age of twenty-three years. Carefully, he made his way towards his younger sibling. As if he was afraid of him or of himself. 

 

Steven kept his promise. He remained cautious. Looking for the signs of the monster which Tadashi had told him about. 

 

The older Hamada took a step closer. Now both brothers were an arm length away from each other. Tenderly, Tadashi's hand reached out-but he stopped in his tracks. Unsure, if he was allowed to touch his younger sibling. Unsure, if he was allowed to-after everything. He was lost. Lost in the eyes of his baby brother. 

 

In the blink of an eye, Tadashi fell to his knees, in front of him. Appearing a lot smaller than Hiro. To Steven he looked like a poor beggar which kneeled down before a prince.

 

Hiro kept looking him, as if he was analyzing, the battered figure in front of him, controlling if the person next to him was really his older brother and not subject RA2015. The twenty-three year old young man beside him, looked tired and scruffy. He had bruises over his face. Bruises which Hiro kissed last night. The hand of the person was still frozen in the midair.

 

''Hey..knucklehead'' Tadashi said softly. His voice was croaky but it was still Tadashi's voice. 

 

The voice of his beloved older brother. 

 

Hiro fell into Tadashi's arms, like he hadn't seen him for a whole year. He was like a rocket, almost knocking the wind out of Tadashi, who certainly didn't expect such a reaction. The sweet yet spicy scent of Hiro waved comfortingly through his nose. His rough skin was brushing over Hiro's delicate shoulder. Deliberately, he wrapped his arms around Hiro, holding him close. From the corner of his eye, he gave Steven a hand sign, which indicated that he was okay. That the person hugging his brother was him. And not subject RA2015.

 

''Tadashi..it's you...right? You're surely you right? Not the other you?'' Hiro whispered hectically against Tadashi's black wife-beater. 

 

The deep laugh of his older brother, reverberated against Hiro's lithe chest, sending pleasant tingles down his spine. ''Wow..way to construct sentences.. genius'' Tadashi mocked him, as he ruffled tenderly through Hiro's hair.

 

''Youuuuu...'' Hiro elbowed him lightly on the side. Like he usually did when his older brother was mocking him. But the older Hamada only laughed. Hiro involuntary started to laugh to. For a moment he could give into this pleasant illusion, which tried to tell the younger Hamada that nothing changed.

 

After they both calmed down, the Hamada brothers slowly detached themselves from each others hold.

 

''Hiro, I've read through the document folder and everything... everything is just soo-'' Tadashi started.

 

''-fucked up?'' Hiro offered with a slight grin on his face, revealing his tooth-gap.

 

''Swear envelope'' Tadashi replied dryly but a smile managed to blossom on his face anyway. ''But maybe not today. This time I let it slip. I think you outlined our current situation very well...hey is everything alright?'' The older Hamada asked worriedly as he noticed how a singly tear dropped from the corner of Hiro's eyes.

 

''It's really you..I'm just so happy..I ..thought..I would lose you by the time you open your eyes. So..I'm getting kinda sentimental...nerd...'' Hiro added as he brushed the tear away with his sleeve. Suddenly, Hiro realized that they were not the only one's in the room. 

 

''Morning Steven'' He announced casually, trying to hinder embarrassment to rise on his cheeks.

 

''Morning Hiro. Did you notice this delicious smell? I think your big brother made us an immensely nutritious breakfast with fried eggs, roasted bacon and pancakes'' Steven mentioned with his friendly caring voice.

 

''PANCAKES!'' Hiro shouted out happily as he rushed over to the suspicious plate...almost falling on his face in the process. ''Wait. '' Tadashi grabbed Hiro by the collar of his shirt, which was theoretically his own and stopped him from recklessly storming to the plates, which were located near the still heated kitchen stoves. Stoves which Tadashi used to prepare their breakfast. Breakfast which should be called lunch by now. It was around 18 o'clock in the evening now.

 

''What?'' Hiro answered annoyed. His stomach grumbled. He didn't eat anything since yesterday and the stuff he ate, he vomited out today, in the early morning. 

 

''Sit down. I won't serve you any pancakes, unless you let me fix your appearance...'' Tadashi reached out and started to unbutton Hiro's shirt. The breath of the younger Hamada hitched, as bandaged hands wandered softly against his skin.

 

'' Tadashi...you know I could've done this by myself. And besides.. you look currently more like a hobo than me. '' Hiro mentioned as he intelligently stuck his tongue out, trying to overwrite the little sparks which Tadashi created on his skin as he continued to unbutton his shirt.

 

''You already DID try this by yourself...and it didn't work..big baby'' The older Hamada replied mockingly. Steven caught his breath as the older Hamada unbuttoned the last button of the shirt. The blonde man trailed his eyes away. 

 

Tadashi was the only one who saw the big purplish blue hand-sized bruise on Hiro's lithe stomach. The bruise was located near his navel.

 

The older Hamada couldn't suppress the growl, rising in his throat. ''Who. did. this.?'' Tadashi gritted through his teeth, punctuating each word, ready to take the person apart who inflicted such a wound on his younger brother.

 

''Yama...but don't worry big bro..I've already taken care of it.'' Hiro whispered dryly, his whole form started to tremble as he thought about the leader of the small Yakuza group. He thought about the way, the bullets pierced through his body. 

 

''I'm sorry'' The older Hamada declared. Voice suddenly gone soft, as he leaned down and placed a light tender kiss onto the wound, sending tiny sparks of electricity through Hiro's veins. Tadashi's breath ghosted over his skin. 

 

Steven coughed slightly. 

 

Hiro's mind had barely a chance to comprehend what was going on, as he felt how Tadashi inhaled sharply and started to button his shirt up in record speed.

 

Before the situation could get any more awkward, the older Hamada maneuvered his body to the dishes. And began to place three empty plates onto the table, before he started to fill them with fried eggs, roasted beacon and pancakes. His face had a look of such a stern concentration, like he was just defusing a bomb and not serving dishes. One could even forget that he just pressed a kiss onto the bare stomach of his sixteen year old brother in front of a stranger.

 

Hiro glanced nervously at Steven, fearing his reaction. 

 

But Steven remained calm and as solid as a rock. ''Don't worry, these are the after effects of the manipulated brainwaves.'' He stated reassuringly, before he reached for the fork and took a bite from the fried egg on his plate, chewing contently.

 

''Yeah...right'' Hiro looked down at his food. Somehow Steven's statement filled him both with devastation as well sadness. Tadashi was still somehow being controlled by the- A warm hand ruffled him out of his thoughts. 

 

''Bonehead..eat... till its warm.'' Tadashi bestowed Hiro with a loving smile. The younger Hamada felt something fluttering softly in his stomach, before he turned his attention to his pancake on took a bite from it. ''Hmm~...'' He took another one and another. Soon he was at his third pancake. 

 

Tadashi, Hiro and Steven. All three of them ate together in a harmonic way. Enjoying the peaceful and calm moments, before they had to go back to the research room.

 

Hiro stood, now dressed in his dark jeans, in front of the long beige colored table. His eyes trailed around the access points of raven mask in his hands. ''I think..I've got an idea how to bring the other signals to a halt. I’m certain-'' Hiro announced satisfied as he scribbled down his idea onto a white sheet of paper. ''- they've picked the wrong people to mess with'' He ended, a smile slowly spread through the corner of his mouth as he looked at his older brother, who smiled back. 

 

Only Steven seemed to notice the way, Tadashi dug his thumb deeper into the wound on his upper leg. Injecting pain into his nervous system, fighting the monster inside.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WAIT!...please note:
> 
> *......* -> someone's thoughts  
> ''......'' -> somebody speaks  
> ~~~~ ->indicates transition
> 
> And as always I warmly welcome you, dear reader, to another chapter of ''Both a sinner and a gentleman at heart'' :D Thanks for your patient waiting ;) And for the previous comments, YOU GUYS ARE FUCKING AWESOME and I can't mention it often enough xD 
> 
> So..yeah~..warning: typos, misspealings and grammar mistakes ^^_
> 
> ~Have fun reading the stuff below, you awesome person, in front of the computer screen ( I love you <3) xD
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~

The sunset was sliding softly through the windows of the closed cafe. Harmonic jazz melodies danced through empty chairs and tables. Filling the silence in the house on the 5th avenue of San Fransokyo, with bittersweet music, coming from the little radio on the counter. A brunette woman in her early thirties, stood behind said counter, her eyes lingered worriedly on the entrance area. Hoping to see two familiar outlines behind the glass in the next following seconds.

 

But nothing.

 

No silhouettes were standing behind the curly drawn ''I'm sorry, we're closed today =^.^= ''-sign. It was Sunday after all. No customers. No people. Only one woman and her cat. One should assume that a woman, who worked at a cafe six days a week, would enjoy the day she could use to relax. And she really did enjoy her Sundays. Most of the time. The time in which she could rest assured, knowing, her nephews are safe and sound. Even if, she wasn't their mother, she was still as worried about both Hamada brothers as a mother would be. 

 

As her sister would have, if she would be still alive.

 

Time passed by.

 

Aunt Cass had a half-bitten cupcake in her hand. It was already her fifth. With a frustrated look on the empty bowl, standing beside her, she realized: It was her last one. The last remaining little helper to put off the evil persistent worries, gnawing in her head. She knew that she should avoid stress-eating at all costs. But she couldn't. She just couldn't help herself.

 

Albeit, Tadashi had sent her a message yesterday, telling her that he and Hiro were alright and staying over at a friend's house, she couldn't forget what she saw on the television report today in the early morning. The reporter stated, seven men were brutally murdered last Friday night. And the murderer is still running around. Probably waiting for new victims to follow.

 

Nervously, she chewed on her bottom lip, as she put her half-eaten cupcake aside and reached for the white pocket of her apron. As she unlocked her cellphone with an energetic motion, her eyes practically flew to the message box, looking for new text messages. 

 

But much to her disappointment, there were no new text messages in sight. Only an already familiar short one, which was sent a day ago and held the message: 

 

-Hi aunt Cass ^^ Hiro and I, will come home on Sunday, around 17 pm, we love you :) - 

 

It was already half passed five in the evening.

 

The brown haired woman ran her hand through her frizzy hair, as she resisted to take another bite from her cupcake, thinking about the horrible things, which could happen to the Hamada brothers on their way back home. Now was not the time to walk around in the city. Especially, when it was getting dark and a murderer was lurking in the corners. 

 

With a heavy sigh on her lips, she put the cellphone back into its original place, turning her attention to her freshly baked -yet undecorated- cherry flavored cake. She had taken it out of the oven, thirty minutes ago, clinging to the childish hope that Tadashi and Hiro would magically appear on her doorstep, lured in by the sheer scent of their favorite cake.

 

She waited and hoped.

 

But they didn't arrive.

 

She wasn't even sure, if they would. * What if the murderer catches them? Oh my god what if-*

 

''Meow..?'' Mochi, her own special lucky cat, looked up to her with her big brown eyes. The very reason why aunt Cass spoiled her too much with food. Mochi's furry face was tilted slightly to the side, as if she was silently asking her a question, before she jumped elegantly off the chair, on which she was taking a nap at, not long time ago. 

 

A soft jingle filled the room, caused by the bell on Mochi's collar. Her paws barely made a sound, as she walked to the brunette woman and started to purr softly, while brushing her fur against her ankle.

 

The gesture ripped the female guardian out of her dark thought. It always amazed her, how Mochi seemed to sense when she was in distress. The feeling of warm fur, brushing against her ankle, calmed her down. The sweet gesture, which was probably only used by the well- fed cat, as a strategy to obtain even more food. But nevertheless. 

 

It helped.

 

Aunt Cass smiled softly at the cat, purring on her feet. ''You know, what? You're right! Everything is alright. Everything will be fine. They'll certainly will arrive in the next following ten minutes- and if they don't- they won't get their faces melted by this awesome cherry cake'' She announced convinced to the furry being under her, which only kept brushing her head against her calf, still purring.

 

''Alright, alright...you'll get your goodie'' The brown haired female announced and a few seconds later, Mochi was chewing on her little salami snack, contently wiggling her tail as she  
devoured her well-earned goodie.

 

''You're unbelievable...'' Aunt Cass declared, smiling at her cat, before she cleaned her hands at the sink and dried them with a towel. She went to the radio and searched for a channel, which played a more cheerful tune. As a pop-song started to fill the room with rhythmic beats, she adjusted all of her materials at the counter, needed for the cake-decoration. Aunt Cass knew, it would be more convenient to prepare the cake on her own kitchen on the second floor, but downstairs was better. Downstairs, she had a better view on the entrance area and could wrap Tadashi and Hiro faster in her arms, if they showed up at her doorstep.

 

The brunette woman pressed the second button on her hand mixer and held her hand professionally steady, watching how the hard butter and the powdered sugar blended into one mixture. Frosting. As she was finished, she put the hand mixer aside. With a wooden spoon, the female guardian arranged the white-yellowish mass, on top of the cherry cake.

 

Despite the fact that she was more at peace than she'd been a few moments ago, she still couldn't shake this lingering feeling of worry off her chest. She knew, Hiro tended to forget time, when he was enjoying himself. Losing himself, in the fun he was having. Something which he always did. More frequently, when he was tinkering on another one of his robots.

 

But it was very uncommon for Tadashi to lose track of time. 

 

Where Hiro tended to be impulsive, messy and chaotic, Tadashi was calm, well-structured and organized. Hell, he even knew at the age of nine years, when it was the best time for his little baby brother to have his food or his nap. Aunt knew no other person in her environment, who was as reliable and as trustfully as her nephew Tadashi Hamada. Sometimes, she even caught herself thinking that he would rather eat a broom than to show up somewhere unreliably late.

 

Like right now.

 

Aunt Cass took a deep breath, focusing her mind on the task in front of her. She still needed to adjust some of the freshly plucked cherries on top of her cake. One of the things, the Hamada brothers had in common -which wasn't related to their high intelligence- was their undeniable weakness for her cherry flavored backed goods.

 

Tadashi's obsession wasn't hard to find out. After his daily jogging, he always ate only a yogurt with cherry flavor. And Hiro tended to eat the red gummy- bears first. Always. The red colored gummy-bears were always the first ones which vanished from his newly bought small packets. 

 

Aunt Cass smiled at the thought of her nephews. She remembered how she had bought gummy bears for Hiro, for the first time. He had been small. So small and little back then...even smaller than Tadashi in his age. 

 

The brunette guardian knew, deep down, the time would come, in which Tadashi and Hiro will leave the Lucky Cat Café. Leaving her in order to work at an important business or even to run an important business. Getting famous. Helping people. Finding a wife. Building a new family.

 

Only a year. Or more precisely: only a few months before both of them will graduate and start a whole new life. Sometimes aunt Cass wished that Hiro would be a little less gifted so that he wouldn't have to grow up so fast and graduate so early. Leaving her, at the same time as his older brother.

 

She shook her head slightly, shaking this unusual tingle of loneliness off. '' I won't worry about the future, just enjoy the present...I mean that's why it's named after a ''present'', a gift, after all, isn't it?'' Questioningly, she stared at Mochi. The cat sat contently on one of her favorite chairs in the cafe. Her tail wiggled slowly and cheerfully. Unconcerned, like nothing in the whole world could dampen the cat's mood.

 

Out of the blue, a gentle jingle filled the room.

 

But this time, it wasn't caused by Mochi's collar.

 

Aunt Cass dropped everything and literally darted towards the entrance area. Relief spread through her body like a warm wave, as she recognized the contours of her nephews, standing at the front door of the Lucky Cat Café. Both Hamada brothers looked a little tired, but nevertheless, safe and sound.

 

''Hey aunt Cass....'' Hiro greeted hesitantly, making a little motion with his hand, waving softly at his guardian. Tadashi, who stood next to him, nodded briefly, a weak smile was plastered on his lips.

 

Hiro wasn't surprised, how hoarse his own voice sounded in his ears. After all, he had spent the last two days, to use his voice non-stop, discussing with his older brother and Steven Heartnet ideas and strategies, connected to the downfall of the Cain Corporation as well as the reposition of the neurotransmitters in their masks. Before they left the Victorian apartment complex, Tadashi had told Hiro, it would be for the best, if he was to speak as less as possible to their guardian, because the older Hamada needed his whole concentration to keep his mind stable. 

 

Both agreed to keep their aunt in the dark about the Cain Corporation, including the things which had happened to them. Things, which they weren't able to fully understand by themselves.

 

As Hiro opened his mouth -a fake explanation about their late arrival was already on the tip of his tongue- aunt Cass darted towards them. The younger Hamada didn't even have a chance to explain their aunt everything, as both Hamada brothers were taken aback by the sudden warm and firm embrace of their aunt, which nearly squeezed all air out of their lungs. 

 

The younger Hamada had to suppress a hiss of pain, his face scrunched up, as his guardian unintentionally brushed the bruise on his stomach. Caused by the already dead Yakuza, Yama Yamamoto. 

 

Worriedly, Tadashi glanced at his younger brother. His fingers twitched, like under voltage, before forming to fists. The older Hamada only needed to see the hurt expression on Hiro's face- and a powerful urge flooded his mind. 

 

The urge to chop the arm of his aunt off. 

 

Hindering her, to cause anymore pain to his precious baby brother.

 

It was good that their guardian's face was between the uneven space of their shoulders. Therefore aunt Cass couldn't see the look of pure anger, flaring behind once gentle cinnamon brown eyes. Hiro took notice of the expression on Tadashi's face. 

 

Slightly, the younger Hamada tilted his body to the side, causing his arm to brush over Tadashi's bandaged hand. The gaze from the older Hamada turned softer. Pulsating anger disappeared as fast as it had appeared, as his eyes met the chocolate brown orbs of his younger brother. Hiro bestow Tadashi with a small smile, revealing his innocent tooth-gap, melting the violent trashing anger in Tadashi's chest almost immediately away. 

 

'Don't' 

 

Hiro pronounced wordlessly with his mouth, eyes trailing to the right, pointing at their aunt, who was still standing between them, embracing them tightly.

 

Tadashi nodded almost unnoticeably at the hidden message. His fists loosened, before they retreated.

 

''Are you alright? Are you hurt? Is everything okay?'' Aunt Cass blurted out concerned, as she finally let go of the Hamada brothers. Her eyes examined carefully both of them from head to toe. The younger Hamada was immensely glad that their aunt didn't posses the ability of X-ray vision, in order to detect injuries through layers of clothing. 

 

If she did, she would freak out.

 

Both Hamada brothers had decided, it would be for the best, if their aunt wasn't involved into this whole mess. They were lucky, Steven had the opportunity to go shopping and to buy them clothes, which could be seen as exact replicas of their usual style of clothing, making them appear normal. The concealer cream, did a very good job on Tadashi's battered face, hiding his bruises very well.

 

''Aunt Cass we're fine. Really. '' Hiro claimed smiling, putting as much conviction into his voice as possible. Tadashi nodded along, bestowing their aunt with his trademark smile. The simple gesture and the smile was all he was able to do right now. Even if his smile was twitching unnoticeably at the left corner. And the nod was slightly faltering. The monster inside of him kept howling, urging him to take Hiro as far away as possible, to claim him as his own and to eliminate anyone who dared to get in his way. 

 

But Tadashi wouldn't let the monster, even if it kept trashing aggressively against his cage. 

 

Aunt Cass, didn't know anything about the inner fight in Tadashi's chest. She exhaled with relief, before her hands automatically darted towards the ears of the Hamada brothers, tugging on them sharply, pulling them close.

 

''If you are fine, then what where you two THINKING, knuckleheads?!'' She voiced angrily , emphasizing the word 'knuckleheads' with a sharp tug on their ears. Not enough to actually hurt them, but enough to serve as a good reminder. 

 

With a frustrated groan she freed their ears.

 

''I was worried sick!! Don't YOU know what time it is? It's already dark! ANYTHING could've happen to YOU !! Especially NOW when you decide come home late when A MURDERER is still running around freely!!'' Her voice volume increased, before it swayed, like a small boat, suddenly surprised by a strong gust of wind and was led astray, coming from its original course.

 

She crossed her hands in front of her chest and stared at her nephews, waiting for an explanation. Still troubled.

 

Hiro and Tadashi knew this would happen.

 

''A..a murderer..is..is running freely...what?'' Hiro's voice sounded stuttering and out of tune, as it would have been when he would have heard about the murderer without any background information. The younger Hamada tried his best to appear like he was in a state of shock, trying to stomach the news. ''Oh..god..and Tadashi...Tadashi..and I...we...we could be..could've been-'' Hiro's voice cracked at the end of his sentence. His shoulders sunk. He began to tremble. A look of horror filled his eyes.

 

Tadashi's stomach churned up at how well his younger brother could act. It churned with the fact that every lie hid an ounce of truth. And the truth was the horror mirrored in Hiro's big brown eyes.

 

Their aunt dropped her posture of defiance. ''You..you both didn't know? Oh sweety...I can't possibly stay mad at you two.... if you don't even know the reason for my sudden outburst...Today SF-news reported about a brutal murder of seven innocent people..which had occurred last Friday night...the police still don't know, who could be the culprit....I even heard that the heartless bastard shot a poor, already dead man, several times in a row...I've seen the picture's....there was so much blood....who could be so sick..and do something like that?!...'' 

Aunt Cass shivered, as if she was cold. Disbelief and disgust painted her face.

 

*How would she look like, knowing that there are two murderers, instead of one?*

 

*How would she react, knowing that both of them lived under her roof? Stood next to her?*

 

*Heartless bastard....sick...poor innocent man....* Hiro shuddered as he realized, their aunt was talking about him. A bone-crushing pain wormed his way to his chest, his trembling increased. *Bastard...sick..bastard...sick-* The words in his head were silenced by a big warm hand, gently resting on his shoulder. 

 

*..Tadashi...* The younger Hamada thought, as his nose caught the scent of mint and lemons.

 

Hiro took a deep breath and calmed down. He was not alone. And now was not the time to tell aunt Cass, what this 'poor' dead man wanted to do to him and to his older brother. And how 'innocent' the other six people were, as they tore his red sleeveless hoodie to pieces in the dark alley. Eying him up, while licking their lips. 

 

The Yakuza did a good job at bribing the media and the police with money. Hiding the true identities of the 'victims'. With another inaudible deep breath, Hiro focused his attention to their aunt.

 

She just cleared her throat. ''As soon as I've heard about this incident, I tried to call you both....wanted to tell you to be careful on your way home and to come back as soon as possible...but you had your cellphones turned off.....I..I was worried sick..I-'' Aunt Cass looked like she was on the verge of tears.

 

Hiro darted forward and enveloped his aunt in a warm hug. ''I'm sorry...so sorry..we...we. didn't know..that...that-'' The voice of the younger Hamada wobbled as he held his aunt closer. He wanted to tell her much more. Much more than neither she nor he could take.

 

*I'm sorry that I killed a person.*

*I'm sorry for enjoying killing a person.* 

*I'm sorry that I kissed Tadashi. As well as for enjoying kissing Tadashi.* 

*I'm sorry that I fell in love with my big brother.*

*And I'm sorry that I'm lying to you. * Hiro's silent apologies were left unheard.

 

Aunt Cass' melted away as she sensed Hiro's distress. ''Oh..Hiro..don't worry....sweety...I'm not not mad at you anymore.....I'm just..I'm just really glad that Tadashi and you are safe and sound.'' She caressed Hiro's head softly. 

 

A second later, the older Hamada joined their embrace. Not bearing the sight of Hiro hugging somebody else that wasn't him. 

 

All three of them stood silently between empty chairs and tables. Like a little family, consisting of three people plus one cat. They haven't hugged like that for years. While aunt Cass enjoyed their hug and the peace which it brought her mind. Guilt, like acid, scrupulously burned holes in Hiro's and Tadashi's stomachs. Each one, feeling guilty for different reasons.

 

As she hugged her nephews, aunt Cass was glad, having both of her favorite boys back. The nightmare was finally over.

 

Little did she know that for her nephews, the nightmare has just begun. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Hiro was standing under the shower of aunt Cass' bathroom, because Tadashi occupied the bathroom of their shared room above, on the third floor. 

 

The younger Hamada didn't even notice the coldness of the water, traveling down his skin. It was like somebody detached his mind from his body. Even if his body was now taking a shower in the bathroom at the moment, his mind was elsewhere. It was with his older brother. Hiro wondered, if Tadashi felt the strong pull, too. Pulling and tugging his whole being to be right next to him.

 

Hiro didn't notice the strong pull, until his older brother had suddenly let go of their family-embrace and ran upstairs. Hurriedly. As fast as a monster was chasing after him.

 

As soon as Tadashi disappeared from his sight of line, a painful tug ripped its way through Hiro's chest. They were together the last two days. Always side by side. Working in the same room. Sitting next to each other as they discussed plans. Knees brushing. Shoulders touching. Tadashi's hands ruffling through his hair.

 

Something in Hiro ached. Maybe this strong pull is also somehow connected to the side effects, which Steven Heartnet had mentioned earlier? Despite the fact that fox voice had disappeared, the younger Hamada still had an uncomfortable feeling in his gut. It was like something got stuck between his teeth and he couldn't pull it out. No matter how hard he tried. Somehow he couldn't shake this lingering his feeling off, telling him, the fox left some traces in his mind.

 

Like the echo of an echo, which kept whispering temptingly in his ear, yearning for Tadashi's presence. For his touch. Tugging him to come to his older brother, surging him forward, out of the shower, making his way upstairs, taking the chance, kissing him, this time, without the black raven mask on-

 

Hiro shook his head.

 

*This isn't right. Tadashi isn't himself right now. I should be ashamed for even thinking about abusing his weak state....*

 

* I should focus my mind on how to reverse this animistic manifestation of his subconsciousness...I need to turn him back to normal...but in order to do that we have to obtain this original prototype information, which is well hidden in the bureau of Cain Corporation's leader Violet Green.* Hiro closed his eyes.

 

Yesterday, Steven had tried to obtain more information about the original manuscript, containing the function of each sensors in the masks. But all his attempts were fruitless. There simply was no material, which he could hack. Violet Green seemed to keep her most important data in written form, in some kind of safe, hidden in her office.

 

The younger Hamada sighed. The falling water couldn't prevent thick weariness to spread through his bones. His shoulders felt heavy. Like an unbearably large stone rested on them. His body felt heavy as well as his mind. Immensity heavy and tired. He didn't sleep last night at all. His mind had been awake, constantly juggling with figures, constants and variables.

 

For more than twenty-four hours, the sixteen year old had tinkered around the masks, calibrating, adjusting electromagnetic signals, which the masks were supposed to sent, reversing the effect. Creating something different. Something, which should be able to disconnect brainwave-signals from a healthy distance. 

 

Instead of only being an accessory for controlling, Hiro had tried to rearrange the neurotransmitter in the masks, depolarizing the signals. With a few failed tries, he finally was able to changed their function, for their advantage. He inserted the neurotransmitter chip of the raven mask, right beside the main access point of the fox mask. Increasing their volume as well as their radius. 

 

Hiro had installed a small switch, which Steven bought him, right next to the thin wires. Allowing them to free every other mask-victim at the Royal Masquerade, with nothing but a turned on switch. 

 

The signal, which would come from Hiro's creation, would have such a strong frequency that it would automatically disconnect the neurotransmitters from the main computers at the Cain Corporation. 

 

But there was one tiny little problem: Hiro wasn't sure, if it would work properly. 

 

He wanted to be 100% sure that by switching the button on, everything will go according to the plan. The plan was a little messy and still had its holes. But they needed to act as quickly as possible. Free the masked-people. Sneak into the heart of the Cain Corporation. Stealing the data, saving Tadashi's mind from crumbling down. 

 

Steven wanted to message them tonight, telling them about his progress with the search for the construction plan of the Cain Corporation's main building. 

 

The younger Hamada turned the water down. His head was buzzing. Goosebumps prickled through his body, as his wet skin hit the air. He took a step out of the shower and nearly lost his balance, as a sudden feeling of dizziness took a hold of him. The sixteen year old was way too tired to even stand, he saw how his reflection, the pale person in the bathroom-mirror staggered slightly, back and forth.

 

* I can't get weak..can't relax..must stay... strong..stay strong...* The younger Hamada grabbed the towel and toweled himself down, his hand searched for his clothes. Nothing. Empty space.

 

Hiro mentally face palmed himself. With a frustrated huff, he bound the towel around his hips.  
He should have thought about to bring a new change of clothes. He threw the ones, which he wore a while ago already in the clothes basket, because the clothes had smelled funny, sweaty. And he didn't like the feeling of dried sweat on freshly cleaned skin.

 

The younger Hamada placed his hands on his purple-blue colored stomach wound, he was glad that his palm was big enough to cover up the bruise. Aunt Cass shouldn't know anything about the circumstances under which it was created. The younger Hamada unlocked the bathroom and opened the door with an energetic motion, his brain already ordering his body to get ready to ran up the stairs to his room. To his clothes. Avoiding all contact with his aunt.

 

There was only one thing, his brain wasn't prepared for: 

 

For a person to be standing in front of the bathroom door. 

 

For Tadashi to be standing in front of the bathroom door. 

 

Hiro yelped, taken aback by the sudden presence of his older brother, stumbling over his own feet, losing his balance in the process, nearly falling to the cold tiled floor. 

 

But warm hands prevented him from falling to the ground. The face of the sixteen year old was pressed against the broad, firm yet comfortable chest of his older brother. The scent of mint and lemons filled Hiro's nostrils. He blushed as he realized how close they were standing together. And how Tadashi's hands rested on his back. On his naked upper body. Skin meeting skin. Electric sparks tingled down Hiro's blood.

 

Hurriedly, he freed himself from Tadashi's helpful embrace with an apologetic smile on his lips, as he took a careful step back, in order to maintain a certain amount of respectable distance. 

 

''Hiro, are you..alright?'' Tadashi asked hesitantly. His cheeks were flushed and his voice sounded a little rough around the edges. The older Hamada was wearing a worn out white shirt and his usual green sweatpants. His hair was still a little damp from the shower.

 

''Yes, of course I'm fine. You nearly just gave your younger brother a heart attack!'' Hiro stated accusingly, his cheeks were flushed. His heart was hammering wildly in his ribcage, as he folded his hands together in front of his cream colored chest. Suddenly feeling not comfortable in his own skin.

 

''I'm sorry, if that was the case. Sadly my hands aren't modified with a defibrillator like Baymax....yet'' Tadashi declared jokingly, smiling warmly at him, scratching the back of his damp head in embarrassment. And then he bent down in front of Hiro, revealing the clothes, which he dropped to the ground as he saved his little brother from a possible concussion.

 

''Here. These are for you.'' The older Hamada uttered as he held the small pile of clothes in front of Hiro, who took the clothes thankfully with a look a wonder, into his lithe hands.

 

''I haven't heard, how you entered our room, as I was in the shower, so I concluded that you somehow managed to forget to bring yourself a few clothes to change. I know how you dislike sweaty clothes on fresh skin...so I decided to bring them to you'' Tadashi smiled back at his younger brother. The older Hamada had trouble to keep his eyes from wandering lower, to catch the beautiful contours of his gorgeous baby brother.

 

He bit his lip. Normal. He needed to be-

 

''Thanks Tadashi. Once again you're my knight in shining armor'' Hiro mentioned chuckling. Uneasiness leaving him.

 

''You even thought to bring me a new pair of socks, so my feet won't get cold. I bet your future girlfriend or wife would be thrilled to bits, to have such a fine specimen like yourself by her side'' The younger Hamada added smiling, but his chocolate brown eyes suddenly seemed distant, as his fingers pressed the bundle of clothes, closer to his naked chest.

 

The monster in Tadashi caught him off guard.

 

Tadashi couldn't hold the monster back, mind only focused on the sadness in Hiro's eyes.

 

He took a step forward and his arms automatically wrapped Hiro's lithe shoulders, pulling him once again against his chest. Holding him close. But not close enough to put pressure on the bruise on his stomach. Tadashi inhaled slowly Hiro's delicious scent.

 

''Ta...Tadashi...what?'' Hiro stuttered in disbelief, still holding the clothes in his hands, not comprehending what was happening.

 

''..You..only..you...I..don't need anyone else...'' Tadashi mumbled softly against ebony colored hair.

 

''Wha...what?'' Questioningly, Hiro stared up to his older brother. Confused big chocolate brown eyes met dark cinnamon orbs.

 

'' I'm sorry..Hiro...but somehow..I can't control this..I need this..I need you..I....I missed you..so much..'' The older Hamada breathed out, his hand brushing softly against Hiro's damp hair.

 

''You... missed me? But... we were separated for like..I dunno twenty minutes?'' Hiro expressed, trying to act normally. His heart pounded audibly in his own ears, caused by the sudden closeness. 

 

''I'm sorry-'' Tadashi said as he let go of Hiro and reached out for the towel on the drawer, which stood an arm's length away. The monster was caged again. But Tadashi still needed to feel close to Hiro. Close, without hurting him. With gentle movements, he caressed Hiro's damp hair, toweling it down. Like he always did. Preventing Hiro to catch a cold.

 

''..My big baby...'' Tadashi mumbled tenderly. His eyes were hazy, like he was lost in a daze, as he lovingly smiled down at his younger brother.

 

Hiro couldn't help but to look into Tadashi's face. After the shower he must have used the concealer cream again in order to hide his bruises from their aunt. He had slight bags under his eyes. The older Hamada had slept as little as his younger brother. But despite all of the stress, the anxiety, the uncertainty, the sadness and the fear, Tadashi's smile always managed to cheer Hiro up, to let him feel safe. Even if it was only for a brief moment. 

 

The older Hamada still looked gently at his younger brother as he put the towel aside. Hiro's face was flushed and his rosy-petals were parted slightly, revealing Tadashi's beloved tooth-gap. The twenty-three year old was caught under a spell. All he could do was to stare back at him. Deep down, he knew it was wrong. So utterly wrong, to abuse the state, in which Hiro was trapped in, caused by the experiment...but Tadashi couldn't tear his eyes away.

 

Beautiful. Mesmerizing. It was a pity that Hiro didn't know how breathtaking he looked at the moment.

 

His blood rushed through his veins. Slowly, Tadashi's hands wandered forward, reaching out, to Hiro's face, placing his bandaged palms gently on each of his cheek. Feeling the warmth prickling invitingly against his finger tips. 

 

Tadashi bent down. Closer. Much closer. Their lips were only one breath apart.

 

Radiant brown eyes looked at him.

 

''I'm sorry.. Hiro..but I...and you..you're just so-'' The older Hamada whispered softly, his breath ghosted over the rosy lips of his younger brother. The expression on his face spoke whole volumes. Electric sparks tingled everywhere. Hiro felt like he was caught in a pleasant, blazing fire tornado. Nearer. He wanted to be nearer, he-

 

''BOYS!! IF YOU DON'T COME HERE RIGHT NOW, I'M GOING TO EAT THIS DELICIOUS CHERRY CAKE ON MY OWN!!'' Aunt Cass' yell sounded from the kitchen and pierced through the atmosphere like a knife.

 

Both boys darted away from each other. Eyes widening as they realized what they where just about to do.

 

''Well...we...we..you...I..you probably shouldn't let the lovely lady wait...you can go ahead , I still need to change...and please reserve the best piece of cake for me, okay... nerd?'' Hiro expressed, voice first hesitantly, then steadier. Before he fell back into the role of the Tadashi's little brother. Hiro's face was still flushed. Heart beating two hundred miles per minute.

 

Tadashi took the hint and played along. 

 

''Well...you have to hurry up with changing bonehead, if you even want to see at least a small crumb of cherry cake, because I'm probably going to eat it before you manage to change into your clothes'' He said teasingly, his voice was slightly rough around the edges. Tadashi's eyes were still hazy and his cheeks were red.

 

It was more easier this way. For both of them. Acting like nothing happened, than to admit that both had been willing to kiss one another. Out of love. And not because of some experimental brainwaves.

 

''Ha! You don't know how fast I can change! I am the master of changing clothes, you big dork!'' Hiro shouted enthusiastic, as he started to pull his shirt over his head.

 

''Well, it's on!'' Tadashi announced cheerfully as he walked out of the bathroom, heading for the kitchen, leaving his younger sibling to change clothes, while his heart still ached to be in his presence.

 

The fluttering in Hiro's chest didn't disappear. His heart still pounded painfully in his chest, but he got to play along. Without this. Without their acting. Without their banters, they would loose the last string of normalcy in their relationship. The last bit of normalcy, which wasn't being corrupted by the Cain Corporation.

 

Hiro put hurriedly his other clothes on, as he darted out of the bathroom, looking forward to enjoy a delicious piece of cake.

 

Newly dressed, he made his way towards the kitchen, where aunt Cass and Tadashi were already sitting on the table. A cup of tea and a piece of cake stood in front of them. A warm feeling bubbled up in Hiro's chest and he smiled as he noticed the big piece of cake, which Tadashi had placed- in contrary to his earlier words- next to him, on the table, parallel to an empty chair. 

 

Tadashi always tended to spoil him too much.

 

Aunt Cass really surpassed herself with her backing skills this time. The cake looked utterly amazing. And it tasted fantastically. As their guardian talked about a funny old woman, who had shared her cake with her little handbag sized dog, last Saturday, Hiro was enjoying the flavor of the cake. Chewing contently at his favorite backed good.

 

Enjoying the normalcy that went along with it.

 

Normally, Hiro was a coffee-sort type of person. But the slightly bitter lemon tea, which Tadashi had poured into his cup, really tasted wonderful, combined with the sweetness of the cake. Under the round kitchen table, Tadashi's and Hiro's knees were slightly brushing against each other, as aunt Cass kept on talking. 

 

Hiro's and Tadashi's gazes met. Both smiled at each other as they continued to eat. None of the two moved their knee away. The simple touch was not one of a sexual nature. It was a kind reminder of their childhood. When Hiro was little, he couldn't sit still. Small limbs constantly moving, hitting the table leg in the process, causing the plates on the table to jitter.  
Only as Tadashi brushed his knee against Hiro's, the small Hamada stopped his uncoordinated movements.

 

When Hiro and Tadashi were little, they always were seeking for each others touch. It calmed them down. Knowing that they were not alone. Wrestling playfully. Hugging. Ruffling hair. Giving high fives. Or fist-bumps. It was like their own ritual. Through the little touches, they both knew that the other one was still there, when their parents had been gone.

 

''Ah..Hiro..I forgot to tell you that Akira visited our cafe, last Saturday. He was sad that he couldn't get into touch with you. But he stayed and even helped me with the customers. He is a really good boy. Maybe you should call him later'' The brunette woman stated smiling, suddenly switching the topic into another direction with her sentence.

 

''Yes, I'll call him tomorrow'' Hiro declared absentmindedly, before he took another he led another piece of cake into his mouth.

 

''Hiro...I have a feeling that Akira really likes you, even more than just as a friend. You know , he blushes slightly, when he talks about you. And you have to know that I've never had a problem with such kinds of relationships between two boys..Even if I thinks it's a little too early for you'' Aunt Cass dropped the bomb, still smiling.

 

Hiro nearly choked on the piece of cake in his mouth. Tadashi softly patted him on his lithe back and offered him a glass of water, which the younger Hamada drank greedily.

 

The older Hamada absolutely didn't like what their aunt was indicating.

 

Before his aunt could even start to talk about how it was okay for Hiro to date a guy, to date Akira. Before the anger could start to fully spread through Tadashi's nervous system, he stood up abruptly, knocking the chair off in the process.

 

''Aunt Cass, I'm truthfully sorry, but I just realized that Hiro and I have an important test tomorrow in the class of professor Callaghan. Could we take the rest of the cake upstairs to our room? We'll be careful not to make a mess'' Tadashi declared with a charming smile on his lips, ordering his voice to sound trustfully. Quickly he exchanged glances with Hiro. 

 

''Oh...no..sorry aunt Cass, I can't believe, I forgot something like that! Don't worry, I'll be carefully with the crumbs this time. And you know how helpless Tadashi is without me, helping him to study...'' Hiro spoke teasingly, earning himself playfully sullen looks from his older brother. 

 

This was all it took to convince their guardian.

 

''Alright. But don't stay up too late!'' She announced smiling buying the lie. She kept smiling at them as they made their way upstairs and closed the door behind them with a soft click. Unaware of the fact that the lie, was one of the easiest ones in this evening.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Two silhouettes sat together on Hiro's bed. Two empty plates stood next to them on his working table. They both were exhausted and needed sleep immediately, but the couldn't. They still had to wait for Steven Heartnet's call, like they had discussed earlier. The course of progression of Steven's side, will decide which steps they should do next.

 

''Thank you.. I really don't know how I would've handled this conversation'' Hiro declared tiredly, a loose smile was on his lips as he yawned. ''But we did good today, didn't we? Aunt Cass didn't suspect a thing. Once again thanks about the Akira-thing'' The younger Hamada drew a shaky breath from his lips as he looked at his older brother.. 

 

''I..did what had to be done. Even if it's one more lie, which we tell her'' Tadashi replied, face pulling into a sad smile. ''I think, I wouldn't have had the endurance to hear something about the possibility of you having a future boyfriend...not when I ...when I-'' The older Hamada shook his head slowly, as if he lost his trail of thought, pulling his hands into fists, before loosening the pressure again. Making them go slack. 

 

After a few seconds, he caught himself again. ''You are right , we did really good today. Especially you. It's..it's still hard for me to...to be near you..but it's more harder to stay away..I'm...really sorry Hiro...'' Tadashi hid his face in his palms. The monster in his mind kept trashing against his ribcage, eaten at his heart, destroying his mind with want. 

 

The want to be closer..much closer to his little brother, nearly tore him apart. The monster howled. It desired to ravish him. To claim him his.

 

''Tadashi...it's not your fault...if someone is at fault..it is the Cain Corporation...or even me...because the used MY invention to do all this horrible things to other people..to do this horrible things to you..I...I'm so sorry..'' Hiro whispered his voice was hitching on the end.  
*It's my fault. Everything. The signals surely wouldn't have shown such a strong attraction towards each other..if there wasn't my sinful love for you*

 

Hiro wanted to cry. But he didn't cry. Crying would be a waste of time. And another waste of energy. His older brother's mind was on the verge of crumbling down and his crying wouldn't help the situation. It would make only matters worse. Tadashi would try again to comfort him, not caring if it would drain out more of his energy. Energy which he needed to keep the monster on his lock and key. This time, Hiro needed to take care of his older brother.

 

The younger Hamada took a deep breath before his trembling hands reached out for a tissue and a half filled bottle of water, standing on the table. He wet the tissue with water and turned his attention to his older brother, who was looking at him, again with this hazy, now kind of haunted look in his eyes.

 

The younger Hamada leaned closer, as he pointed with his finger, from the tissue in his hand to Tadashi's face, silently asking allowance. The older Hamada comprehended what Hiro was indicating and nodded, giving him allowance.

 

Tenderly, Hiro's hand traced over Tadashi's face, while the other hand softly ghosted over the concealer creamed spots on his skin. Over his right cheek. Over the spot beneath his left eye and between his eyes. '' You know, you kinda look like a warrior now'' Hiro whispered softly, as he revealed the last bruise, which the concealer had hidden.

 

''I'm just going to apply the soothing balsam...'' Hiro whispered as he put the wet tissue away and reached for the upper drawer, pulling out an object, which looked exactly like a toothpaste  
tube. He opened the cap and applied the colorless substance on his palm, before closing the cap with his fingertips, arranging it onto its original place.

 

As he turned his head once again to his older brother, he was surprised that Tadashi's eyes were still glued to him. Not haunted anymore. Shining. They were shining in love, adoration and a hint of something, Hiro didn't want to figure out. He leaned forward again. ''The substance might feel a little uncomfortably cold against your skin..'' Hiro mumbled as he softly reached forward again and applied the balsam on the battered skin.

 

Tadashi closed his eyes this time, as he felt how the soft fingertips of his younger brother trailed tenderly against the surface of his bruised skin. Despite the cold feeling of the balsam, Hiro's gestures were soothing and relaxing. For a moment Tadashi could let himself fall. He took a deep breath an inhaled the unique sweet and spicy scent of his younger sibling, whose fingers still kept gently caressing his skin.

 

As Tadashi felt how these silky hands wanted to withdraw their touch, he opened his eyes, his bandaged hands automatically surged forward and tenderly enclosed around Hiro's lithe wrists, keeping his hands on their position.

 

''Ta..da..shi ?'' Hiro whispered hesitantly. His voice was to weak to speak in a normal volume anymore. The younger Hamada had a torn expression in his eyes, as if he wasn't sure if he should try to wriggle his hands out of the grip of his older brother or if he should lean closer.

 

His heart was pounding loudly against his chest. 

 

''Hiro...'' Tadashi breathed out, lost in the mesmerizing beauty of his younger brother. The younger Hamada wore the blue shirt and the black shorts, which he choose from his drawer and brought him to the bathroom. Clothes, which were a little too tight-fitting, emphasizing the slightly curves of Hiro's lithe body.

 

''Tadashi...'' Hiro leaned closer. 

 

The older Hamada could smell the sweet scent of cherry in his breath, which ghosted over his lips. He gulped lightly. It was just too much. * Only a kiss. Only a small little kiss* Just as the older Hamada wanted to lean forward and bridge the gulf between their lips-the buzzing sound of Hiro's cellphone sounded throughout the room, making the brothers scramble away from each other.

 

Hiro went to his backpack and reached out for the cellphone and looked at the Id-number, before he pressed the electric device to his ears. He was never so angry and happy at a time that a person called, then right now.

 

''Hello Steven, do you have the information?'' The younger Hamada asked in a quiet voice.  
In spite of the neutral tone, coming from his mouth, his heart still rapidly beating against his chest. 

 

The older Hamada observed how Hiro talked to Steven on the cellphone. And swallowed down the bile of uncalled jealousy, which tried to crawl up to his head. Information. It's information. Only information. He kept thinking, his eyes trailed automatically to Hiro.

 

The younger Hamada smiled as he heard the good news. Steven finally got his hands onto one of the construction plan's of the Cain Corporation's main building. He found out about four secret underground passages, which would straightly lead to them to the high secured facility building. And one door of the passageways was placed at the basement of the Royal Masquerade.

 

In seconds, Hiro's mind put two and two together. Perfect. 

 

If his reversed invention, functioned correctly, they would kill two birds with one stone. Through his newly adapted signal, they could free the controlled people at the Royal Masquerade and causing enough chaos to sneak into the secret basement without anyone noticing.

 

''Steven, you. are. awesome. Tadashi and I will come over to you tomorrow after college, when classes are over. I want to check, if my device will run correctly'' Hiro declared into the cellphone.

 

'' It would be good to test it before we try it out. I'll wait for you around 16 pm. Please try to take the route through the Central Kyoto park, if you visit me. Try not to take unnecessary risks, when you can avoid them, Hiro. By the way how is your brother doing? Will he be able to go to college with you tomorrow?'' Steven Heartnet's voice asked worriedly through the cellphone.

 

''Yes, he is fine. For now at least. I want to get my hands on this original prototype as soon as possible in order to free my older brother'' Hiro announced whispering, smiling at Tadashi who still sat on the bed.

 

'' I wish you both good luck. Sleep well. You'll both need to rest a little.'' Steven's caring voice drifted concerned through the tiny loudspeakers of the cell phone.

 

''Thanks. We'll need it. Sleep well, too. I see you tomorrow. Bye'' Hiro said and typed on the red button. Ending the call. Finally, they had another important puzzle for their plan.

 

Hiro turned around and wanted to tell his older brother the good news, as he felt warm hands wrapping around his torso and pulling him closer to a firm broad chest. The younger Hamada couldn't even comprehend what was going on, until he felt Tadashi's breath ghosting over his ear. Electric sparks tingled down Hiro's spine. His vision was going blurry. Like it had in the bathroom from Steven Heartnet, when he had his panic attack.

 

''Hiro..mine...only mine..not..Akira's..not Cass'..not Steven's....'' Tadashi kept whispering as he pulled Hiro closer. Suddenly his hands seemed to be everywhere, roaming over his body, spinning a pleasant cocoon around Hiro, who tried to wriggle his way out of the strong hold of his older brother. ''Ta..Tadashi..this..this..isn't you..please..'' Hiro whimpered as he shamefully thought about the way how their clothes midsections had rubbed against each other in the dirty alley.

 

He managed to break free, but Hiro was never a person with good luck. He stepped on a tool and landed onto Tadashi's bed with a thud. Before he could get up, his older brother was already there. Looming over him, with a lustful stare in his eyes, which only increased the fire in Hiro's stomach. 

 

Each of Tadashi's hands rested now beside Hiro's head. The younger Hamada tried to use his hands to push his older brother off his chest, fruitlessly trying to fight an already lost battle. ''What if this..is me..Hiro?..You don't know..know... how long I've yearned to feel you this close to me...mine..you should be only mine..I love you..love you more than anyone else in the world...'' Tadashi whispered throaty, as he leaned down.

 

Hiro wanted to let it go. 

 

But he kept struggling. If he'd give up right now. Tadashi would end up regretting everything. Punishing himself for laying his hands on his younger brother. Therefore, Hiro turned his head away, as Tadashi's lips searched for his own. He tilted his head to the side in the right moment. 

 

Instead of his lips. Tadashi kissed his left cheek. 

 

The older Hamada withdrew his face and looked at Hiro with foggy eyes. His cheeks were flushed and his breath smelt like cherries. Tadashi's right hand caressed tenderly Hiro's cheek before he gripped his chin, arranging Hiro's face into another position.

 

''Please..don't...'' Hiro whispered weakly with flushed cheeks. '' You don't....you don't really want to do that...you don't....don't love me..love me the way''- hmpf

 

The younger Hamada was silenced by a pair of lips, which were placed tenderly against his own. Soft, sweet, intense, mind blowing. Chocolate brown eyes were only centimeters from dark cinnamon orbs apart, as both brothers shared a kiss. A forbidden kiss.

 

Hiro closed his eyes. He wanted the moment to last forever. 

 

His resolutions came crashing out of his mind, as tender lips were placed against his own. This time, it wasn't a mask wearing stranger who pressed his lips against his. It was the face of his older brother. The older brother, he had feelings for, feelings which a little brother shouldn't have for his older sibling. 

 

§...but it feels so forbiddingly good, doesn't it?~..§ A sugar-coated voice sizzled in his head.

 

Hiro ripped his eyes open.

 

*No.*

 

*That can't be.*

 

*That can't be true.*

 

*The fox voice should've disappeared as Steven disconnected the signals.* 

 

*It can't be possible.*

 

*No.*

 

*It-

 

§...didn't you question Steven if it was a little~... too late?~...well~...guess what? You guessed right.~... That's right..you've reached the 100% capability as you used your hidden talents, to disarm Yama and to pull the trigger.~ Several times..in a row~...I ...stayed hidden~..wanted to give your mind a little vacation~...but...now~...§ The fox snickered.

 

Suddenly, Hiro felt how dizziness swept through his mind. A dizziness, which almost swept him off his feet, he he wasn't already laying down. Warm. Hot. Tadashi's lips were still pressed against his own. Good. It felt so good. Unbearably good. Like a forbidden fruit. The younger Hamada felt how the sugar-coated voice of the fox snickered once again. 

 

Each snicker was like a catapult, resonating in his mind, attacking his wall of defiance.

 

Hiro struggled. But the fox only laughed.

 

The wall showed a crack.

 

The eyes of the younger Hamada went hazy. With his lithe hands, Hiro reached out for the back of Tadashi's head and pulled him closer. Lips-smacking against each other. He moaned softly his brothers name, through his closed muffled mouth. '' Hmmf..ahh..ashi~..'' 

 

This action took almost Tadashi's breath away. Electricity ran through his nervous system and  
shut his system down. His breath hitched as Hiro invitingly opened his mouth, trailing his daringly against the rough lips of his older brother, begging for entrance.

 

If Tadashi would be in his right mind, he would've noticed the change in Hiro. But he wasn't. 

 

Hot lava pumped through his veins, making him unable to resist the forbidden temptation and a whirlwind seemed to wreak havoc in his head. The older Hamada wasn't in his right mind. He was lost. And falling. Falling into the bottomless pit of his desires.

 

Tadashi opened his mouth, his tongue darting forward, capturing Hiro's. Wet heat slid against one another, rubbing against each other. Causing them both to moan. The feeling. The burning feeling of yearning flared in the pounding chest of the twenty-three year old. More. Closer. He wanted to feel Hiro even more. 

 

Tadashi placed his hips down, as their tongues were fighting for dominance, grinding his clothed midsection against the one of his younger brother. ''ahhh..'' Hiro breathed out, as he felt the friction. It reminded him of the day in the alley. 

 

But this time it felt even much more intensive. 

 

The fox kept snickering, taunting, whispering words in his mind, attacking the crumbling wall of his consciousness. He was lost. Lost in his own desires. Helplessly drowning in his own selfish needs. The wet heat. The friction. Just the thought of feeling Tadashi's naked skin grinding against his own, made Hiro's pants tighter. He was as hard as the sweatpants clothed member, which kept brushing against his own erection as wet heat invaded his mouth and tantalizing lips sucked heatedly on his bottom lip. 

 

Hiro was on the verge of sinking, but he kept struggling, fighting the voice in his head, while his body was held captive by the fox and the monster, which manipulated Tadashi's senses.

 

*No...this can't be right....no...this can't be right...I need to control it..I-*

 

§.... Don't fight~...§ The sugar-coated voice sizzled.

 

*...No...* Hiro tried to build his wall higher and to fix the broken parts.

 

§...Don't you see?~ He wants it, too~..grinding his hips..invading your mouth like that~§

 

*..No..* Hiro made the wall bigger, longer, stronger. But the voice still seeped through it like melted butter.

 

§...He waited for so long to touch his little brother~§

 

*..No. He doesn't want that.... he is being controlled..* Even if his body was shaking in pleasure, his mind was screaming in pain.

 

§...Give in~..give..in~... give in~...it would be so much easier~.§

 

Hiro's power was fading. His wall of defiance crumbling. 

 

*Maybe this isn't so bad. I always wanted to be closer to him and now I have the opportunity* Before his mind could surrender, a sudden persistent memory flashed through his brain. The memory of a sobbing Tadashi. Kneeling in the dirty alley to Hiro's legs. Sobbing. Begging for forgiveness. Hitting himself in the face. Punishing himself for laying his hands on his precious younger brother. 

 

Tadashi had warned Hiro. Had begged him to run away. He had wanted to safe Hiro. He had fought. With all his strength. Like he had fought the last days. Shouldering the burden. But never giving up. Always staying strong. Strong, but still caring. Giving his best to keep him safe.

 

Salty tears were trailing down Hiro's cheeks. 

 

He turned his head away. Away from Tadashi's mouth. Form his lips. From his warm tongue. Hiro felt disgusting. Dirty. For sullying Tadashi's attempts to fight, his attempts to be strong. 

 

The older Hamada still kept rocking against him lost in his daze. 

 

It was clear to Hiro now. 

 

This person in front of him, wasn't his older brother. He was being controlled. The younger Hamada had to help him. He just had to. Or he would do something, which he would regret the rest of his life'' Tadashi..please stop...'' Hiro whispered. Looking with his teary eyes up to his older brother. 

 

The older Hamada looked at him. His gaze was still foggy, but he stopped his movements.

 

But the hazy look in his eyes didn't fade. ''Hiro..love..I love..love you so much'' Tadashi slurred like he was under the influence of alcohol. Then he bent down again, burying his face in the crook of Hiro's lithe neck, placing kisses onto cream colored skin. Leaving marks. Before one of his hands trailed lower, pushing Hiro's shirt up.

 

Hiro shuddered. Tears still prickling in his eyes. 

 

Now he knew that words were useless. He wasn't strong enough to push Tadashi off his body. Somehow he needed to help him to snap out of the haze. The younger Hamada looked around. There! On the shelf to his right, he saw Tadashi's cap. The cap, which Hiro bought for him. Maybe it would help Tadashi, to trigger some memories? Memories, which would help him to fight.

 

The sixteen year old had to act fast. He stretched his hand out, into the direction of the cap.  
Closer. Just a little bit closer. Yes! He felt the familiar fabric on his finger tips. Finally, his hand reached the cap, enclosing around it.

 

He didn't think long about what to do next. Just as Tadashi wanted to place his hand on Hiro's lithe naked chest, the younger Hamada took the cap and placed it onto Tadashi's sweaty head. Hoping this would be enough to help him to snap out of his feverish trance.

 

Tadashi's eyes cleared at the moment he felt the well-known fabric on his head. 

 

He felt weird. He withdrew his face from the crook of the mesmerizing neck below him. His eyes widened as he realized what he was just about to do. And to whom. Hiro looked at him with his big brown eyes, they were red around the corners like he just had cried. They mirrored hope and fear. 

 

*Fear...because of me?* 

 

''Tadashi..?'' Hiro spoke softly. Voice tender, but also hesitantly.

 

''Tadashi..can you understand me? Do you hear my voice?...'' The younger Hamada asked, eyes searching for understatement. For a sign.

 

The older Hamada nodded softly, signalizing the younger Hamada that he was able to hear him.

 

Hiro bestow him with a smile. Tears of relief trailed down his cheeks.

 

Tadashi's head was still buzzing, the tornado which whirled through his mind calmed a little and the hot lava which had burned through his veins only a few moments ago retreated and was replaced with cold water. His vision was blurry around the edges.

 

Even so, he reached out to brush Hiro's tears away, as he suddenly noticed the way Hiro's shirt was pulled up and the marks on his neck. Freshly bitten love-bites.

 

Realization hit Tadashi like a train, as finally snapped out of his daze. 

 

His body trembled. He had lost control. His whole face paled. Hurriedly, he tried to scramble away from his younger brother. Fearing his presence would only taint him further. Fearing it would hurt him. Harm him.

 

''Wait.'' Hiro spoke softly, reaching out his hand and putting it on Tadashi's arm, making him stop in his tracks. ''Listen to me..before you panic...please...I need you to stay strong..''  
Hiro's voice was soothing and emphatic. His eyes were free from any kind of judgment or disgust. They shone in pure, unconditional love.

 

''Hiro...'' Tadashi cracked. 

 

He tried to stay strong, even if every vibe of his being was screaming at him to scramble away from Hiro and to punish himself for the things he'd done to his precious baby brother. His body trembled, the urge of self-destruction grew, but he couldn't let go. Not when Hiro was looking at him like that.

 

Slowly, Hiro sat up. His shirt slid back to its original place. Only one tiny line showed the skin on his upper body. The younger Hamada kept looking at him. ''You are strong. Very strong. That's what happened a few minutes ago, it wasn't your fault. It is the fault of the Cain Corporation...''

 

''But Hiro...I...I almost...I-'' Tadashi's whole being shivered , he hid his face in the palm of his hand as sudden nausea flowed through him at the fought of what he nearly did to his younger brother.

 

A warm lithe hands took his bandaged hand away and enclosed them in a warm hug. ''Tadashi..you'll certainly think now...that you are disgusting or not any better than Yama, but it's wrong. You did nothing wrong. You were being controlled. And you snapped out of it...Please...stay strong. I know you have the urge to hurt yourself..but don't. We're going to make it through all this...Together.'' Hiro looked at him, smiling lightly before he placed a gentle kiss on the bandaged knuckle in his hands.

 

''Hiro...why are you so...I..I could've..could've-...How can you still forgive me? And give me hope..I..I'm..a murderer...a...a...sinner...'' Tadashi's stifled whispering, tears trailed down his cheeks at the soft gesture of his younger brother. He felt like he didn't earn it.

 

''Tadashi...I love you. You are my big brother. The person who keeps protecting me selflessly, keeping me from harm.... You are my most important person..... And this never will be change. Not by some stupid Corporation... Not by some stupid experiment... Never... You kept believing in me, even when I was being a little shit and brought you nothing but worries.... This time...this time I will believe in you'' Hiro whispered powerfully.

 

''Hiro...'' Tadashi could only stare at his brother with his eyes wide open.

 

''Tadashi...this time we'll need to believe in each other. As you were in a daze..I...the voice in my head. The one which I thought had disappeared...it suddenly was there..and it tried to take control over my body....it seems that I've reached the 100% capability, too......I must have reached it as Yama fired that fake shot in your direction....everything is so....messed up ..I know...'' Hiro's own eyes filled with tears, too.

 

Tadashi reached out with his free hand and tenderly brushed them away. Hiro smiled sadly at him, before his face came closer. His forehead softly met Tadashi's.

 

''We got to stay strong. Together we'll make it. What you are experiencing now are the side effects of this sick and twisted experiment.... Soon.... Soon everything will go back to normal. You just have to keep fighting on...and me too... We both have to do our best tomorrow.... Everything could end tomorrow night. You just have to endure SFIT classes a little longer. In the afternoon we will go to Steven's apartment... and I'll check if the device is functioning as it supposed to be.....everything will be fine...we'll sneak into the Cain Corporation..obtain the data..and turn back to normal...and everything will be alright.'' The younger Hamada declared softly.

 

''We're going to be alright.'' He whispered anew as his warm forehead withdrew from Tadashi's, but he still had one of his hand's in his palms.

 

''How do you always manage to make the most difficult things... sound like they are a piece of cake?'' Tadashi mumbled weakly, smiling at Hiro, referring to their plan and to their current situation. 

''A certain nerd inspired me'' The younger Hamada replied tenderly.

 

Hiro arranged the hand of Tadashi to a fist and bumped his own fist gently against it. Like they always did, when they finished a difficult robotic problem. Even if this problem was not solved nor technically of a robotic nature. 

 

The older Hamada smiled. A gesture could be worth more than a thousand words. 

 

Tadashi held his hands out. The younger Hamada sank into his arms. His face pressed up against Tadashi's chest. The older Hamada kept caressing Hiro's back softly and rocked them back and forth, mumbling soundless apologies into Hiro's silky black hair. Holding him safe and secure. 

 

*Tomorrow..tomorrow..tomorrow..tomorrow* Hiro kept thinking, as Tadashi ran his fingers through his hair. Hiro took deep breaths and clinging to Tadashi's chest, their bodies moved back and forth in a constant hypnotizing rhythm. The younger Hamada had to focus his attention on his goal. 

 

On their goal. Turning Tadashi back. Turning himself back. And fighting this fox voice. 

 

Somehow, the younger Hamada had always sensed his presence. When he decided to follow Steven. When he was in the bathroom of the Victorian apartment. When he had lied to aunt Cass. He knew the whole time that he wasn't only resident in his mind, but Hiro had always been some kind of perfectionist when it came to feigning ignorance. 

 

When he didn't want something to acknowledge something, which he couldn't control, he could turn into one hell of a liar. A liar which manages to deceive himself with his lies.

 

The soft and rhythmic forth and back rocking as well as the tender hands which caressed Hiro's head and draw small soothing circles on his back, made Hiro feel sleepy. 

 

The Hamada brothers had a difficult day they ahead of them. But they would face it. Together.

 

Hiro hummed softly a lullaby. The one, Tadashi had hummed to him when he was little. The older Hamada recognized the tune and smiled tenderly into Hiro's ebony hair. Both brother's were bathing in each other presence, until the last days finally showed their signs on them and they feel asleep on the bed Tadashi's bed. 

 

Tadashi was still holding Hiro in his hands and the younger Hamada was still clinging closer to the broad chest of his older brother.

 

Soon, their soft snoring filled the room. The monsters were still snickering at the corner of their minds, but this time, they hadn't the chance to seep into the minds of the brothers. Tadashi held his monster in an ironed cage. And Hiro held his fox-monster away from him with a freshly build solid wall.

 

If everything goes well tomorrow, the nightmare would come to its end.

 

~~~~~~~~~~


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WAIT!...please note:  
> *......* -> someone's thoughts  
> ''......'' -> somebody speaks  
> ~~~~ ->indicates transition
> 
> :D yay~ A SUPER MASSIVE AWESOME ULTRA THANKS FOR YOUR ENERMOUS PATIENCE :D :D :D FINALLY~ I managed to write down chapter 23, I hope its to your gusto :) Sorry, for the long wait. 
> 
>  
> 
> You know, life sometimes goes like: Yes and you're like: Please nooo.. 
> 
> But life continues to keep on anyway, ignoring your little pleas xD Sometimes I even get the overhelming desire to crawl underneath a big stone and wait till the world stops spinning xD
> 
> So once again: warning: typos, grammar mistakes and misspellings, have a good flight with ''Both a sinner and a gentleman at heart''-airlines :D
> 
> ~~~~~~

~~~~~~

There was a deep fluttering feeling of contentedness in Tadashi's ribcage as he cradled his little brother closer to his chest. Hiro. His everything, who was snoring lightly in his arms. Warm lithe back, pressed against Tadashi's broad chest. The older Hamada wanted to hold him just like that and never let him go. It was still pretty early in the morning, the sun was lingering in the corner of the dark blue sky. When a few minutes would pass, she would finally come out, her arrival, announcing a new day.

 

The twenty-three year old young man couldn't sleep well last night. In fact he had slept only about three hours or so. He was busy, fighting the monster in his head, who wanted him to submit. Wanted to let his hands wander lower, to lithe hips, whilst wanting to feel the cream colored skin against his fingertips. Yesterday, he nearly went out of control and hurt his most important person. He didn't want to do this again. But he wasn't sure how long he could keep on fighting. Tadashi Hamada knew, his time was ticking. Twenty-four hours. Today. If Hiro's device would work today flawlessly today, everything will turn back to normal. With Steven, they would be able to infiltrate the Royal Masquerade, freeing the victims and after that hopefully, freeing themselves.

 

Tadashi closed his eyes and breathed in the rich and unique scent of his younger brother, still sleeping innocently in his arms. In the arms of a monster. So trustful. So beautiful. The older Hamada felt like he didn't deserve it. Didn't deserve Hiro's trust and the faith, he put in him without a second thought. *My mind is crumbling down..I'm on the verge of falling apart....on the verge of doing unspeakable things to you.....and to those who dare to come in my way....but...you're still having faith in me...* Love, was shining in tired cinnamon brown eyes as they lingered tenderly on the small person, plastered to Tadashi's chest.

 

Tranquility and piece didn't last as long as Tadashi wanted. Inevitably, he needed to confront himself with reality. They had to have a plan B up their sleeve, if something didn't work out the way it should. Protecting Hiro, is still his biggest priority. Protecting him, from the Cain Corporation. Protecting him, from the people, which wanted to hurt him like the Yakuza. And most important: Protecting him from himself.

 

Tadashi felt it. Crawling. Nagging. Morphing. Some parts of him were changing. His personality. His mind. And it scared him. Scared him, how much control the instincts held over him. Yesterday, he casually thought about chopping off the arm of their aunt for touching Hiro, for god's sake! Committing violence. Not caring about his surroundings. Only caring about his precious baby brother. Tadashi wanted to drag Hiro away, as far away as possible from every other person who wanted to take him away from him. 

 

The twenty-three year old still felt no regret about what he did to the Yakuza. Or to the students, who had badmouthed about his younger brother. If he had the opportunity, he would do it again. Beating them into unconscious. Maybe more brutal this time. Tearing out tongues out of filthy throats. Killing everyone who dared to hurt Hiro, without blinking an eye. Nobody had the right to do this to his precious little brother. Nobody.

 

''..hnh..dashi..'' Hiro muttered softly in his sleep, turning around, still sleeping, delicate arms shifting, body moving, as his face was pressed up against Tadashi's warm chest. Lithe hands, unconsciously moved forward, before they grabbed the fabric of the shirt, which the older Hamada was wearing, pulling him closer. Hiro's soft breath was ghosting agonizing tenderly over his collarbone.

 

Tadashi's heart skipped a beat. The cage in his mind rattling. The monster licking its lips. His rough bandaged hands were now resting on Hiro's back, instead of his stomach. Instinctively, he pressed Hiro's body closer against his. Wanting to feel more of the mouth-watering delicious being, sleeping completely clueless next to him.

 

His heartbeat seemed to increase unsteadily. Tadashi bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. It would be tempting. So tempting to slide his hands under the fabric of Hiro's shirt. Or this damn shorts of his. Warm. And mesmerizing. Silky.

 

And his younger brother would enjoy this. 

 

Tadashi knew he would, because he had no other choice. Controlled. Manipulated, because it seemed like the brainwaves of his little brother were also manipulated by the Cain Corporation, causing him to act against his will. To desire the immoral touch of his older brother. The older Hamada remembered, the heated touches and kisses, which they had exchanged, losing themselves in pleasure.

 

If Hiro hadn't fought back then. If he hadn't place the cap onto Tadashi's head. Who knows what would have happened? The older Hamada knew: Certainly nothing good. He would be still making love to his brother. To his underage younger brother. Not caring about whether Hiro was struggling or their aunt was sleeping downstairs. He would be still connected with his younger brother. Not sliding out. Ignoring the painful whimpers, which would undoubtedly stumble out of Hiro's throat cream colored throat.

 

Tadashi mentally slapped himself. Suddenly, Hiro seemed to be pressed too close against him. Far too close. His scent. His sweet cherry breath achingly ghosting over Tadashi's neck. His body. And Tadashi's body. Pressed up against each other far too close. Too close to be considered as normal sibling love. They were like two puzzle pieces, complementing each other.

 

Desire and want hammered, pounded and throbbed against his mind, coming from the cage, in which Tadashi held the monster captive. ''..dashi~'' Hiro mumbled again. Right against the crook of the older Hamada's neck. Hot lava spread through Tadashi, cursing through his veins, traveling down, arriving painfully at his midsection. His hands started to tremble as they wandered lower, down to Hiro's clothed buttocks. A familiar dizziness washed over Tadashi as he squeezed the warm flesh beneath his fingertips.

 

''..Hngh~..'' The younger Hamada moaned lightly, pink flush spreading through his cheeks. His breathing grew heavier, lithe hands clutching the fabric of Tadashi's shirt, before he jerked away in order to move his clothed midsection, involuntarily right against his older brother's. Brushing it, against the heat of the twenty-three year old. Hiro gasped as he felt the hardness throbbing against his member. ''..ha..ah~'' Flushed, the younger Hamada wanted to turn away, but firm hands kept his body in place. Pressing it against the solid body of a twenty-three year old young male. 

 

Hiro's eyelids fluttered. Hot. He felt unbearably warmness tingling down his spine. Sparking a firework in his inner system. Too much. Caged, he felt trapped, but not in a threatening way. Warm and secure. Fragments of mint and lemons waved through his mind. ''Hi..ah~roo~'' Tadashi grasped out through clenched teeth, bandaged hands, still moving his little brother against his body.

 

Slowly, Hiro's eyes opened and came in contact with a flushed sweaty collarbone. Lemons and mint filled his nostrils. Tadashi? Hiro's mind was still dizzy. Like he was put under drugs. Or drank too much alcohol.

 

§...Hehe~..why don't you enjoy it a little?~§ The fox purred with sugar coated voice in his mind.

 

The younger Hamada was still half asleep. That's why he listened to the voice in his head and  
pressed his body closer against the hot hardness, brushing against his own midsection, which started to throb painfully in his boxer shorts. Additionally, he felt hands, rough tender hands massaging his clothed bottom. ''Ahh~'' Hiro moaned, redness flushed his cheeks as he continued to grind his body against the familiar warmth.

 

§...good boy~ it's going to be alright~ just enjoy~..§ The fox sizzled wickedly.

 

Hiro's mind was still muddy from the last days. He didn't think at all as he moved his left leg over the body next to him, allowing clothed midsection to brush closer against one another. The older Hamada gasped out at the sudden action. Good. He felt so unbearably good. '' Ha~..ah~..Hi..ro~'' Tadashi moaned as he continued to squeeze the hot meat beneath his finger tips, causing the younger Hamada to moan in return.

 

Hiro acted on impulse. He wanted more. With a new found strength, he rolled himself on top of his older brother, his head still buried in the crook of Tadashi's strong neck. The scent of mint and lemons caused his head to spin. Something was off. But Hiro didn't know what. And he didn't care. His whole body stood in flames and he wanted nothing more than to continue his grinding movements against the clothed throbbing member of his older brother. The fox sizzled, using Hiro's state of fogginess to get his way.

 

The sixteen year old used his hands to support himself against Tadashi's chest. Now he was sitting on his older brother's lap and looking down at him through half lidded eyes. Ebony bangs framing his heated face. His mouth was parted, moaning softly. His eyes. To Tadashi, Hiro's eyes seemed like melted chocolate. Radiant. Beautiful. Mesmerizing. The older Hamada let his hands wander up to Hiro's hips, holding them in place, as he kept breathing heavily and grinding his younger brother against his throbbing heat. ''Ah~ ..ashi~'' Hiro moaned, as he kept staring into dark cinnamon orbs lustfully. ''H..iro~'' The older Hamada groaned, tugging at silky hips.

 

The alarm of Hiro's cellphone caught both off them off guard. 

 

Like a bucket filled with ice-cold water, which somebody decided to empty on them. They stopped their movements and looked at each other, terrified, as realization dawned to them. Hurriedly, Hiro darted away from Tadashi's lap in the blink of an eye. In seconds, he built his wall of defiance, against the fox, against his corruption and against the whole occurrence. Mortified, Tadashi collected his strength and threw the monster back in the cage with the last bits of his mind.

 

Hiro and Tadashi panted, chests falling and rising unsteadily in a fast rhythm. Their eyes, wide open. Embarrassment and fear, fighting for a place in their facial expression, mixed altogether with hints of shame, lust and regret. Hiro's back was pressed against the wall in the corner of Tadashi's half of their room. Pressed against the blue painted wall, which Hiro had helped to paint a few years ago. The older Hamada sat on his bed, on his knees, with hands outstretched in Hiro's direction, shaking and trembling. Mentally, torn between reaching out for his younger sibling and crawling far away from him in order not to cause him more harm than he already did.

 

Tadashi gulped. Hiro's fingers switched the alarm off. Now the room wasn't filled with the noise of the cellphone alarm anymore. It was filled with heavy breathing and two shaking figures. Both Hamada brothers still looked at each other. Hiro was the first one to break the silence.

 

''This..you...I...I...we...'' The younger Hamada helplessly gestured from his older brother to himself, fidgeting, before his body slid down the wall, coming to halt on a carpeted floor. Hiro took a deep breath. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Slowly. Slowly. This sucks. He cleared his throat ''Today...Today we are going to SFIT. Pretend that everything is okay. We can't afford to draw unnecessary attention to us.... After SFIT we've got to go to Steven, testing if the device works correctly. If the test is a success, we begin with the plan.... We're going to infiltrate the Royal Masquerade, find the secret passage, which will lead us straightly to the Cain Corporation.'' The younger Hamada stood up with shaking legs. Hands searching for support against the wall.

 

He held eye contact with his older brother as he tried to get his rational brainwaves to function normally again. It was hard. The fox kept sneering and giggling in his head. Throwing hand grenades at the wall in his mind, which shielded him from the forbidden lustful madness. The sixteen year old wanted nothing more than to creep closer to his older brother. To crawl into his lap. Seeking his touch. Feeling his skin, pressed against his own. But he couldn't. Tadashi. The real Tadashi. His older brother, who wasn't poisoned by the Cain Corporation, wouldn't want that. He would rather shop his hands off with a chainsaw than to touch his little brother-him- in inappropriate ways.

 

*I have to stay strong* Hiro thought as he cleared his throat once again and continued: '' When we arrive at the Cain Corporation, we sneak into the office of this leader woman called Violet Green and steal the original prototype. We escape. And use the information of the document to turn us back to normal again..we'll make it...we'll make it through. We've got to act normal...nerd.'' The younger Hamada bestowed his older brother with a hesitant smile.

 

''I'm-...I'm sorry'' Tadashi grasped out. The older Hamada took a deep breath. ''Hiro..its difficult..being near you..I..I have this constant desire to..to..arghh- Tadashi held his head as the monster inside his head, trashed particularly hard against it's cage. Piercing pain shot through his brain. The older Hamada closed his eyes in concentration. He didn't want to give up. If Hiro's modified device worked correctly, he had a chance to turn back normal. To turn back into the big brother, which Hiro deserved more than the monster who wanted to ravish him. The sinner.

 

''Ta..Tadashi?'' Slowly Hiro made his way to the older Hamada. His lithe hand was outstretched in the direction of his older brother. ''Don't!'' Tadashi gritted out. Hiro stopped in his tracks. ''Please Hiro don't..don't come near me right now..I need..need..to-'' Tadashi stated  
shaking, as he was interrupted by the worn fabric of his favorite cap. The cap, which Hiro placed gently on his head. '' You gotta make..we..we gotta..make it...big dork...'' The sixteen year old announced gently, voice unsteady, yet tender, as he smiled at his older brother.

 

''Yeah..we're..gonna make it...bonehead'' A soft smile tugged at the corner of Tadashi's lips. New strength crawled through his veins. He stood up. '' Well, knucklehead, we've gotta get ready for SFIT..'' Tadashi stated smiling.

 

After a while, both we're ready for SFIT. Concealer cream hiding, the bruises as well as the heavy bags under brown eyes. They were wearing their normal clothes and their usual expressions. They talked to each other, like they would talk to each other normally. But something was still off. And they both felt it. Tadashi and Hiro greeted their aunt on their way to their garage, where Tadashi's old moped was waiting for them. Aunt Cass didn't suspect a thing, as both smiled at her and promised to call, if something was to happen to them.

 

It was scary, how easy it was to play pretend. Like they've studied long for a role at a theater. Or a movie. Most likely a horror movie. As Hiro wrapped his lithe arms around Tadashi's solid chest and pressed his face into the familiar jacket, he knew deep down, if everything went according to the plan, than he wouldn't have the chance to be this near to his older brother ever again. Tadashi would try to forget about it, never mention it again, in order not to make it any more uncomfortable or awkward for Hiro.

 

''Knucklehead..are you alright over there?'' Tadashi asked, as if he sensed Hiro's distress. His bandaged hands clenched around the handles of his moped. ''Yeah..everything's peachy....big dork'' The younger Hamada replied weakly, burying his face into Tadashi's forest green jacket. They drove through the streets of San Fransokyo. Cars, trees and people, passed them by, as a hazy mixture of colors. Tadashi's attention was focused on the traffic in front of his eyes, he bit his lip as he suppressed the desire to turn back and check if Hiro was really alright, because he knew: He wasn't.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

After a few minutes of driving, they arrived at the San Fransokyo Institute of Technology. The modern building shone in the orange colors of the sunrise, as the older Hamada parked his moped. Hesitantly, Hiro unclenched his hands from the fabric of Tadashi's green jacket, after he climbed off, he put the helmet off and placed it, in the extra shelf hidden in the backseat of the moped . The older Hamada did the same.

 

''You know what's funny..nerd?'' Hiro mentioned, eying the building in front of them. '' I've never really had such a strong desire to run away from a school building as I have now..and believe me....there had been times ..you know..since you rescued me... in most of them'' Hiro stated, hands trembling, but voice surprisingly steady.

 

''I know..how it feels..but we've gotta stay strong..only a few hours..than Steven..than sneaking in..obtaining data..and everything will be alright'' The older Hamada listed almost mechanically as he smiled and ruffled through Hiro's soft frizzy ebony colored hair. His heart ached as he felt, Hiro relaxing against his touch. Before the ache in his chest could turn into something dangerous, the older Hamada withdrew his hand.

 

''Come on, we've got a wonderful day of learning ahead of us'' The twenty three year old . claimed. Hiro nodded, plastering a smile on his face, while following his older brother, making his way to up to the entrance hall. 

 

As usual the students, which they met on their way to their classroom, looked at them with envy and hatred. But this time, Hiro imagined how they threw daggers at him with their eyes, while pointing their fingers in his direction, shouting ''disgusting'' or ''gross'' , holding onto burning torches, ready to burn him, like human's in former times did, when somebody sinned. 

 

In contrary to their usual shatter, the students remained silent. But their stares were still of a judging nature. Wanting to punch the air out of them. Hiro took a deep breath. Tadashi's and his shoulders brushed. Warmth tingled down Hiro's spine. He enjoyed the brief touch as long as it lasted. Coincidence or not. It was something, which Hiro needed right. Needed to know, he was not alone, while the fox bombed him with tempting words. Words, which scraped on Hiro's wall of defiance, wanted to tear it down. There was an itching feeling in Hiro's mind. Like some kind of skin irritation, which he wasn't allowed to scratch, because it would only end up itching more this way.

 

Hiro and Tadashi sat down onto their usual row in the middle of the classroom. Some students, already sat in their rows, whispered and sneered as they passed them by. Hiro felt like he was on a battlefield. Always under attack. Pointedly he tried to ignore the comments and focused on the last notes which he had wrote down on his note-book. He would rather already be at Steven's, tinkering his way out of their problem. They younger Hamada didn't know why, but the gleeful whispers got to him today more bad than they usually did. As he threw a glance at his older brother, he noticed how his bandaged hands trembled. He clenched and unclenched them rhythmically beneath the table, out of everybody’s point of view. 

 

Without thinking, Hiro placed his own trembling hand on Tadashi's right hand. Bandaged hands suddenly stopped trembling. The older Hamada looked at him, his cinnamon colored eyes were dark, but they still smiled warmly at the younger Hamada. A real smile. Not a fake one. Tadashi nodded softly. Secretly telling Hiro that he was fine. 

 

Hiro nodded back, as he glanced to his notes. He was unspeakably glad, as the professor entered their classroom and asked for silence. The lesson began. The educated person in front of them kept talking about the things which Hiro already knew. But never the less, he still  
forced his mind to concentrate. Tadashi and Hiro were never as determined to concentrate on a lesson as they were now. Their pencils were outright flying over the paper as they wrote every word, which the professor uttered, onto it.

 

Hands arched painfully as the lesson ended. Tadashi and Hiro packed their things. Still two lessons to go. Normally, not a problem. Today, a huge one. Like a heavy stone rested on their shoulders, pushing them down, draining them out of their energy. And they felt like they couldn't do it anymore. Fighting on the battlegrounds. Inside their minds and outside of it. Thankfully, it was break time. That meant that they've got to play another round of play pretend. But in a better company. 

 

Hiro hoped, their friends didn't hear about the murder of the seven innocent people. Like the other student already had.

 

Hiro didn't want to hear it anymore. He couldn't hear it anymore. Imaging greedy filthy hands and dropping, lifeless bodies. Whispers, reminding him of the night, which turned his life upside down and dragged him under water. He wanted to breath, but he couldn't. He couldn't breath and yet he didn't drown. The younger Hamada looked down. Eyes tracing the yellow laces of his shoes as he followed Tadashi to the cafeteria, where the nerd crew was already waiting for them.

 

Fred gestured wildly with his hands as he saw the Hamada brothers arrive. Gogo, Wasabi and Honey Lemon smiled at them. The Hamada brothers smiled back. Hiro gulped lightly before he spoke '' Hey guys, what's up? How was your weekend?'' He tried to empathize the words with the right facial expression. A little tired, annoyed, but friendly. To be too cheerful, on a Monday morning would be out of his character. 

 

It was more of Tadashi's thing. But the older Hamada had to save more energy than Hiro, because Hiro's monster gave him a little 'vacation' while Tadashi's manifestation of his subconsciousness seemed to work 24/7 a day. 

 

Fred was the one who answered first, as usual, with his full mouth '' Awefome. I've re-wafched fhe Avengefs an.. played a weally cool new video game, in fhich tou are stranded on a stfange planet an there were thefe things which fanted tho kill me and-'' Wasabi interrupted him. '' Fred, slow down a little, you're going to spill your food everywhere and I would be pretty happy when your saliva wouldn’t decide to land on my accurately arranged break fast ingredients.''

 

Wasabi pointed at the crumbles, which already flown out of Fred's mouth and had landed on the empty space near his plate. Gogo and Honey Lemon had dragged their own plates away at the right time, successfully saving their food from Fred's colossal spitting range.

 

''Fowwy'' Fred expressed apologetically, still chewing on his burger, before finally gulping it down, washing it away with a glass of coke. As his mouth was finally empty, he was able to use more comprehensible words. This time without crumbles, stumbling out of his mouth. ''What I wanted to say: awesome, it was pretty awesome'' 

 

'' Cool. Honey Lemon, how was yours? Did you work on your new experiment?'' The younger Hamada asked, trying to keep the conversation going. Trying to lead it into safe haven. The sixteen year old didn't know, if his and Tadashi's friends heard about the so called murder and a feeling in his gut told him, it would be the best, if this topic didn't even have a chance to come up.

 

Honey Lemon adjusted her glasses slightly. '' Well..I'm still sitting in front of the periodic table, trying to figure out what element is more compatible to my potassium. Oh! And how is your new mechanic device doing, Hiro? Last time I saw you in the lab, brooding over some new blue prints, before you fell asleep...Here, I even took a photo with my cellphone'' The tall lanky girl uncovered her pink cellphone and showed Hiro, the photo which she took of him a few days ago.

 

'' I wonder why Tadashi still hasn't asked you to sent the photo to him, Honey Lemon. By now, I think he would've have it as his wallpaper.'' Gogo stated grinning, as she took a sip from her energy drink. Her elbows rested on the table and a pack of chewing gum lay next to her. The younger Hamada questioningly stared at Gogo, while he felt how his older brother flinched slightly next to him. 

 

''Hiro..did you know that our slightly drunk Tadashi spent all of his time at the Yellow Panda, staring at the picture, which Honey Lemon took of you?'' Fred declared, answering Hiro's silent question. The younger Hamada shook his head slowly, before he spoke: ''Certainly, this big dork was just trying to figure out how to use this picture as blackmail material''. The sixteen year old shrugged his shoulders, appearing nonchalant. As if it was the most normal thing in the world to stare drunk at the picture of your sibling.

 

Hiro always wondered on what his older brother was staring at, the time he had arrived at the Yellow Panda. Now his question was answered. But it still didn't make him feel any better. His older brother must have been under the influence of this 'brainwaves' for a long time. Hiro took a deep breath. Electric sparks still tingled down his spine at the thought, of Tadashi thinking about him. Looking at pictures of him.

 

Tadashi tensed beside him. The younger Hamada nudged him slightly on the shoulder. ''Nervous that I discovered your big secret plan?'' He asked teasingly, with a smile on his face. Surging his older brother to act along. Hiro noticed how Tadashi's hands trembled almost unnoticeable. But the older Hamada got a hold on himself vastly. ''Oh no...once again you discovered my big evil plans to bring down the holy dignity of this overly genius brother of mine'' He stated , smiling as he nudged Hiro softly back, before ruffling through his hair, like he always did, when they bantered together.

 

''Ah..Tadashi! I wanted to ask you, how did you manage to hurt both of your hands?'' Fred asked, as his eyes noticed the state of Tadashi's hands, which had ruffled through ebony colored hair a few seconds ago. The older Hamada tensed slightly. Almost unnoticeably. His mind, debating which statement would be the best. But Hiro's mind was faster. '' Well, it was kinda my fault'' Hiro announced. Attracting the attention of every nerd sitting on their table, including Tadashi. 

 

'' I was stressed, because my new invention didn't work out the way I wanted it to and went bot fighting again. What I didn't take into account was that there were people around, who didn't like losing..So I ran away. Hid and called Tadashi...as always he came to the rescue in the most critical moment: I was circled by three of them. Tadashi helped me and got his hands hurt in the process. We both managed to run away...'' The younger Hamada ended, upset, biting his bottom lip, looking guilty as hell in the process. Automatically, Tadashi reached out and placed a hand on Hiro's shoulder, in order to make him more comfortable. ''Knucklehead, don't worry, this was just a scratch'' The older Hamada said reassuringly, playing along. Even though Tadashi knew, it was all just an act, somehow he sensed that his younger brother still felt guilty for this whole mess in which they ended up in.

 

''You're still spoiling him too much'' Gogo announced putting her energy drink to the side, while she unwrapped the gum paper and placed the bubble gum in her mouth. ''Maybe you should put a collar on him or something Tadashi, so that he won't get caught up in anything sketchy'' She declared, chewing on her gum, popping it in the end of her sentence. ''You think something as little as a collar could hold our prodigy genius down?'' Fred stated grinning, while he played with his French fries. Wasabi and Honey Lemon nodded along, agreeing with his statement. 

 

Hiro smiled lightly, as Tadashi placed apple slices in front of him, while biting on his own food. They both ate silently, enjoying the company of their friends, who somehow didn't notice their slight trembling or the tired haunted look in their eyes.

 

The SFIT bell rang and announced the end of their break. The friends said goodbye, with the promise to met up at the library in the next break. The Hamada brothers collected the leftovers of their breakfast and made their way down to room 34. Now they would have an engineering seminar. Hiro held his note-book ready and Tadashi adjusted his sheets of paper as they sat down and waited for professor Callaghan to arrive. Right behind them, Hiro could hear the whispers of the students sitting behind them.

 

''Did you hear what happened to Josh and Mike? I've heard some crazy person beat them up in the corner of the SFIT building. They are still laying in the hospital room. Whoever this attacker was, he seems to be one of us. One of the students. But Mike and Josh still don't want to tell he police who it was. They're both scared shitless. How pathetic, isn't it?'' Student A whispered to student B. Before student B could answer, the door flew open and professor Callaghan made his way to his front desk.

 

''Dear students, before we start today's seminar, I would like to make an announcement: Even though the rector said, not to say anything, I will do announce it anyway, because it's only right. Josh Wright and Mike Miller were attacked in the corner of our institute. Currently, they are laying in the hospital, still recovering from the attack. Whoever did commit this gruesome act of violence, has to take responsibility. If any of you have any clues, or saw something, please report it to the police'' Callaghan expressed, looking straightly in the eye of each student sitting in front of him.

 

Hiro noticed how Tadashi clenched his hands behind the table. The left corner of his mouth twitched slightly and a furrow jittered almost invisibly between in eyebrows. The younger Hamada reacted intentionally, softly he brushed his left shoulder against the broad one of his older brother. They had remain calm.

 

The younger Hamada somehow had the feeling that Tadashi was somehow connected to the attack of this two students. He remembered the day, he ran, crying, out of the SFIT building. Remembered the words which Josh and Mike had called after him. Laughing at him, in his weakest moment. If he was being honest, he couldn't stand Mike Miller nor Josh Wright in the slightest. And he didn't feel an ounce of empathy about what happened to them. They always were picking on him when his older brother wasn't near.

 

Somehow, Tadashi must have heard how they badmouthed about him. A rational part in Hiro tried to find a reason to label Tadashi's behavior as wrong, but his emotional part told him it's right. A warm feeling as well as pride seeped through his body as he thought about the way his older brother defended him. Stood up for him. Defending him. With his eyes glued to the blackboard, his hand grabbed a pencil and wrote a message on a white sheet of paper. 

 

\- Thank you.- Tadashi read, as a piece of paper invaded his sight. Lithe shoulder was still brushing against his own. All of his fears dissolved into nothingness. He wanted to wrap Hiro in his arms and tell him he would eliminate everyone, who dared to make him suffer. 

 

Tadashi turned slightly to Hiro, as he bestowed his little brother with a warm look in his eyes. He took the paper, folded it and placed into his bandaged warm palm. Like a token. While his other hand was busy to write down the formula, with which professor Callaghan had started to fill the blackboard with. He couldn't see it. But he sensed a soft smile, tugging at the corners of Hiro's lips. Tadashi wanted to turn to the right and to submerge into the mesmerizing smile of the soft lips of his younger brother. But he didn't. The monster kept hungrily scrapping on the cage in his mind. Behind him, Tadashi could hear whispering.

 

''Psst..Look at the bandaged hands of the big Hamada....''

 

''Whoa..how do you think, he received this injury?''

 

''Maybe it was caused by another one of his dumb inventions?''

 

''Or maybe he-'' 

 

The whispering voice was silenced by a crumpled up paper, which hit the head of the owner of the whispering voice. The student looked around, but he couldn't see from which direction the crumpled paper had flying towards him, hitting him in the face. But he didn't raise his voice anymore, he remained silent, because he didn't want to start a ruckus in Callaghan's class. Even if the man appeared friendly, his impositions were worse than hell.

 

Tadashi was relieved when at least one of the voices stopped whispering. He felt how Hiro's shoulders shook slightly, as if he wanted to suppress a laughter. Immediately, the older Hamada knew the culprit behind the paper attack. Said culprit wrote something on Tadashi's sheet of paper.

 

-We always have each others backs- stood in Hiro's hand writing on Tadashi's sheet of paper. In tiny letters. Next to the formula. Warmth spread through the older Hamada. He closed his eyes and imagined that only he and Hiro would be in the room. Nothing else mattered when he had his precious baby brother beside him. Breathing in his sweet yet spicy scent through the particles in air, while listening to professor Callaghan and writing down some words in order to have something to focus on, while the monster kept nagging in the corner of his mind.

 

Close. They were sitting so close together that Tadashi could place Hiro with one swift hand motion on his lap and wrap his arms around Hiro's lithe shoulders, while pressing his nose,, in the crook of his little brother's silky neck. The bandaged hand, which wasn't writing, kept trembling, clenching the neatly folded -Thank you-paper, like it was his lifeline. The twenty-three year old knew, his little brother would still accept him and love him no matter what. Even if he was to turn into a monster. A thought, which was scary and comforting at the same time.

 

While Hiro scribbled down another note, he had to resist the urge to glance to the clock, placed above the blackboard. One break and one and a half lessons to go, before he and Tadashi could head back to Steven and start to work on their plan. Testing his new device. Getting ready to make the Cain Corporation pay. §..Hiro~..Hirrro~..look~..look how he holds onto the note which you wrote him~...look at this tasty lean muscles flexing beneath the jacket~....how easy it would be to-§ 

 

*Cut it out* Hiro strengthened his hold on the wall of defiance and increased the power of each brick in his mind. Not allowing even one tiny snip or piece, of the delirious sneaky sizzling voice, to lay its tempting ideas in his brain. The younger Hamada stared at his note-book. Now there was no going back. It took all of his concentration to keep the wall solid and strong. It felt like was tried to uphold an incredibly heavy weight. At the same time he commanded his facial muscles to paint a concentrated yet slightly annoyed expression on his face. His usual attire in seminars like these.

 

The bell rang, indicating the students, it was time for their second break. It was like a start signal for many students to jump out of their seats and to storm into the direction of the cafeteria. Just a few others and the Hamada brothers remained. Clearly, not having the want to be trampled down to death by the busy crowd. Hiro allowed his tensed shoulders to relax a little. Tension still cursing through his veins, but less powerful.

 

''Hey, nerd. I think we should probably head for the library. The only place, which won't be filled with many people right now...'' The younger Hamada suggested with a smile tugging on his lips as he arranged pencils and papers in his backpack, watching how his older brother did the same with his bag. Tadashi nodded, before placing gently the neatly folded paper into the forest green pocket of his jacket. ''I hope you don't mind...it..it helps..'' The older Hamada replied to an unspoken question, which was definitively mirrored in radiant chocolate brown eyes, looking at Tadashi's actions

 

''It's okay'' Hiro breathed out. He caught himself staring at the cinnamon brown eyes. They kept looking back at him so gently, so tenderly and so loving. The younger Hamada shook his head before he stood up and made his way out of their classroom. Quickly, he tilted his head to the side, indicating his older brother to follow him to the library. Relief spread through Hiro as he noticed familiar footsteps behind him.

 

As they walked through the hall, Hiro tried to pretend that the other students weren’t pointing at him. Pointing at Tadashi. With palms in front of their mouths, they kept whispering. Probably bad mouthing again about them. Hiro was used to it. But at the same time, he was tired. So sickly tired of their envy as well as their jealousy. Fortunately, he didn't hear the things which they whispered behind his back as he and Tadashi passed the corridor, on their way to safe haven.

 

Although Tadashi, liked to live in a modern century with the most advanced technology, he still enjoyed, reading books. Holding the worn out paper in his hands and breathing in the old and dusty scent, always calmed him down. When Hiro was small, he always read stories to him. Stories about legendary warriors, sunken cities or golden towns. Maybe not a good lecture for four year old boys, but his younger brother was always an exception.

 

As the Hamada brothers arrived at the library, they were welcomed with the familiar fragrance  
of old paper and the calm atmosphere, which came along with it. Hiro and Tadashi went to the heart of the library, where round tables were placed and comfortable reading chairs, were already waiting for them. Their friends where already sitting there. ''Hey fellas!'' Fred called out. ''How was the lesson with prof C.?'' The comic nerd leaned back on his chair as he greeted the brothers who came towards the small group and sat down on two empty chairs.

 

''What do you except? Mind-blowing as always. Well it would be, if I didn't already knew the stuff which he tells us.'' Hiro said jokingly, letting the slightly arrogant streak to spread through his sentence. '' Hairry baby you don't have to be conceited'' Fred answered , grinning. The friends looked at each other as the burst out laughing. Everyone except Hiro and Tadashi. The tip of Tadashi's ears were red, indicating his embarrassment about the sentence which had carelessly stumbled out of his mouth as he had been drunk. ''Really people?'' The younger Hamada stated dryly. ''You are never going to live it down, are you?'' Hiro declared rhetorically, already knowing the answer. 

 

'' Nope. HahaHa..it was just so funny.'' Fred mentioned giggling. ''Well Hiro it could be worse, remember the one time Wasabi, spilled-'' Honey Lemon tried to express but she was silenced  
with Wasabi's hand who put his palm on her mouth. Silencing her in the most effective way. ''You. are. not. going to mention it again. Okay?'' He announced, looking at the lanky girl. Honey Lemon nodded.

 

''Do you guys want to hang out after school?'' Fred asked suddenly. '' I know, maybe it's not safe after all the things, which had been happening here. You know, the dark things..'' The geek wiggled his eyebrows and tried to give his voice a mysterious tone. 

 

''You mean that a psychopath killed seven people last Friday night?'' Gogo Tomago stated nonchalantly, before popping the gum between her lips. Suddenly, it was so silent and quiet around the round table, you would have even heard a pin drop. The younger Hamada felt like there was an imaginary blinking signboard above Tadashi's and his head, saying- WE ARE THE MURDERES..THE PSYCHOPATHS- A knife pierced though Hiro's chest. * Psychopath..maybe I should add this to the heartless sick bastard collection of aunt Cass?How could I've been so stupid. Of course they watched the news. Of course they know about the murder of the so -called innocent seven people.''

 

''Gogo!'' Honey Lemon said angrily. She also didn't want to bring this topic up. ''What?'' The black haired biker lady answered casually, chewing on her bubble gum. 

 

''We're sorry Fred, but Tadashi and I will stay home tonight. You know aunt Cass. Always worried about us, when a mass murder is running around..and you know..killing people and stuff'' Hiro declared apologetic, folding his hands in front of him. ''It's alright..I can understand'' Fred replied, nodding. Suddenly his eyes stared at the older Hamada, as if trying to figure out an invisible equation. ''Tadashi is everything alright? You haven't talked much today, have you? Are you sick or something buddy?'' He asked out of the blue, catching the older Hamada off guard.

 

''He is fine. His throat just aches and I think he-'' Hiro began to speak, but Gogo interrupted him in the middle of his sentence. ''Hiro.. I think Tadashi is capable of answering the question himself, aren't you?'' The black haired girl claimed, looking straightly at the older Hamada. 

 

* How DARE SHE to cut off my precious little brother in a sentence like THAT?..I should just slam the-*

 

Before the older Hamada could let the thought the spread through his brain, he felt a lithe hand, tugging at his cardigan. Cinnamon and chocolate brown eyes collided softly together.  
Tadashi exhaled slowly, shaking his head lightly. * No. I've got to keep fighting* The twenty-three year old cleared his throat, as he concentrated all of his willpower to appear normal. To appear like he just didn't fantasized about slamming Gogo's face,-the face of his friend- down the table, repeatedly, leaving a bloody mess behind.

 

''I'm sorry..Gogo..but Hiro's right. My throat is.. sore. It must be a side-effect caused by the  
little cold which I have caught in the weekend'' Tadashi explained with a rough voice, which sent shiver down Hiro's spine. But only he, seemed to sense the hidden intents and notes in Tadashi's voice. The murderous intents. ''I'm sorry to hear that man, of course you can't speak well if your voice is hurting'' Wasabi stated emphatic. The others nodded. Gogo looked at Hiro slightly apologetic, with her usual almost expressionless facial expression and her cool attitude.

 

The younger Hamada nodded slightly in her direction. He knew, she didn't want to hurt him. She just didn't like when someone couldn't stand up for himself. So it was pretty understandable. But even so- Hiro glanced worriedly into the direction of his older brother- they had to be more careful. The younger Hamada felt like he was responsible for the whole mess, therefore he was the one, who should try to fix it and keep the damage to a minimum. The sixteen year old sensed, when his older brother crossed his border: His shoulders tensed, his hands twitched and his light brown eyes turned an ounce darker.

 

Like it had been a few seconds ago, as Gogo had interrupted him. Now the friends were normally chatting with each other about their new scientific achievements. Everyone except Fred, who talked about dinosaurs and lizards. They were even considering Tadashi's supposing sore throat and only asking him yes and no questions. Questions, he could easily answer with a slight movement of his head. *They are awesome.* Hiro smiled slightly with a sad pang in his chest, before taking a bite of his sandwich. §...How would they react, if they would know the things, which you both have done?~..Or the things, which you want to do?~..Shocked~..? Disgusted~..? Loathing..?~§

 

*Shut up* Hiro suddenly lost his appetite. He put the sandwich down and looked down at his shaking hands. Before the others could notice his strange behavior, he put them hurriedly under the round table, hiding them from view. Concentrate..he needed to concentrate. Or else, the twisted mind behind his wall of defiance would win. Staring back at his friends, Hiro felt like a traveler from a parallel universe. Like the room and the people are the same, but just only he is different. He and Tadashi.

 

''Hiro''

 

* How can I turn it back? I need to-*

 

''Hiro''

 

*The device must work correctly under all-*

 

''Knucklehead'' 

 

A gentle hand, ruffled him out of his thoughts. Puzzled the younger Hamada looked from his sandwich up to the caring warm cinnamon eyes of his older brother Tadashi. ''The bell already rang. We got to get going bonehead'' *Strange, I didn't even notice it* The younger Hamada thought, looking around, noticing that their friends already went to their classes.

 

''Sorry'' Hiro mumbled. ''I just..it's just..I...you-'' Chocolate brown eyes stared into cinnamon brown eyes. Cinnamon brown eyes which looked at him with a mixture of worry, love and something else. Something on which Hiro couldn't lay his finger on. Maybe regret? '' ..-you are probably right. We've got to get going. Come on!'' Hiro tugged on Tadashi's arm as he practically dragged them to their last lesson. They arrived just in time, for the female professor to come through the door, as they took a seat on the left row.

 

And again Tadashi and Hiro tried their hardest not to be dragged away be the nagging monster in their heads and the persistent whispers from the students. The whispers were too quiet to be understood, but not as quiet enough in order to remain harmless. The eyes of the Hamada brothers were practically glued on the blackboard in front of them. Hiro's hand ghosted over Tadashi's sheet of paper. 

 

-Only ten more minutes...nerd- The message appeared in Hiro's crinkly writing style at Tadashi's paper. The older Hamada smiled in his direction and nodded. In his left bandaged hand, he held Hiro's -thank you- paper hidden, in the pocket of his forest green jacket. As long as he had Hiro- as long as he had his trust by his side- he could fight. He could do this.

 

The bell rang, indicating the long awaited freedom from their long day at the SFIT. Tadashi and Hiro packed their things and went out of the classroom. Now they had to go to Steven. Soon everything will be alright. As they walked down the hall, some students at the right corner kept whispering, looking at them as they passed by. ''Hey, what do you thing, maybe our big Hamada has beaten the shit out of Mike and Josh?'' ''Really, him?!'' ''Don't be ridiculous!'' ''Hahaha, you're right!'' ''He is just a-

 

Suddenly Hiro was right there. Standing in front of the person, who wanted to say something bad about his big brother. Dizziness had swept over the younger Hamada and caused the wall to collapse like a house of cards, letting the fox sizzle his way into his mind. His whole posture changed, his shoulders bent back, proudly he raised his chin, his movements became more fluid, smoother, as he had made his way towards the small circle of students with a daring energetic taunting look in his eyes.

 

With a swift motion, he dragged the student down to his own eye-level by the collar of his shirt. The small group, which had surrounded the student, had parted in front of Hiro like the red sea. Terrified, the student looked into burning radiating brown eyes. ''If~ you even try~ to say anything bad about my big brother, you end up faster six feet under than you can even blink, understood?~'' Hiro hushed, tilted the student's head to the side, his innocent chocolate eyes flared with a hidden murderous intention.

 

The student gulped, before he nodded slowly, still not believing what just had happened. But the look. The intense look in his eyes, was like a predator, who thought about the way it would cook its victim. And the way his voice sounded...Like a Venus fly trap. Sugar-coated, tempting yet so dangerous. Tadashi stood near the door, with his clenched hands hidden in the pockets of his forest green jacket as he kept looking at the younger Hamada, guarding him with his eyes as the monster in his own head trashed against its cage.

 

As Hiro let the collar of the student's shirt go, the student- to bewildered to comprehend what just had happened before his eyes- slid down the locker wall and landed on his butt. Grinning, Hiro turned to the other students. In his eyes slept a hidden warning, baring its teeth at the puzzled faces who instinctively flinched away. With a smooth movement Hiro turned away and walked to his older brother. Amusement and protectiveness sparkled in his eyes as he caught Tadashi's gaze.

 

A warm hand tugged Tadashi out of the way as well as out of the university. As fast as the dizziness had arrived, as fast it went away. Hiro staggered. Vision blurred in front of his eyes. He nearly lost his balance and landed on the ground, if two firm and caring arms didn't catch him at the right time. ''Do you..want to sit down for a bit? Should I bring you some water?'' Gentle cinnamon eyes gazed over Hiro's shivering form.

 

'' My shining knight in armor'' The sixteen year old breathed out chuckling, still holding onto Tadashi, still too weak to stand on his own feet. A slight flush of redness colored the tips of Tadashi's ears, as Hiro's fluffy head rested on his chest, his breath ghosting through the layers of his cardigan. A few seconds passed as Hiro raised his head and looked at his older brother. ''..We..we've got to get going. I think I've improved a lot.'' Warmly but yet somehow exhausted, he smiled, indicating his sibling to let go off his shoulders.

 

Tadashi nodded. Reluctantly freeing his younger sibling from his stabilizing embrace. The monster in Tadashi's head howled, his fingers trembled. He wanted to draw his little brother back into his waiting arms. Wanted to breath in the rich sweet, yet spicy scent, which followed  
his younger brother like a taunting ghost, fueling, feeding the fire within, weakening the cage.

 

Silently, Tadashi followed his younger brother to the parking lot, eyes searching for his old moped, as an unpleasant sight caught his gaze. Akira. The tattooed punk was leaning against his black stylish motorbike and stared at Hiro. HIS Hiro, like he was his. Grinning and licking his lips, as his filthy eyes trailed over the smooth taut skin of his younger sibling. Causally, he made his way towards the younger Hamada. Like he waited everyday in front of the parking lot for the sixteen year old. 

 

''Hey Hiro! I wanted to get a hold on you almost for two days.'' Smiling, Akira stood in front of Hiro, pointedly avoiding looking at Tadashi, who kept scowling at the red haired eighteen year old, shooting daggers from his eyes. The younger Hamada didn't notice the silent war, which Tadashi and Akira started to fight above his head. Hiro had other problems. The sizzling, which kept slamming its hands down to his weakening wall of defiance and kept trashing against his mind.

 

Hiro plastered a cheerful smile on his face. '' Hey Akira. Sorry that you couldn't get a hold on me, I was very busy. By the way, how did you exam went? You had it today, didn't you? Did your mathematical skills level up?'' Jokingly, the younger Hamada looked at his older friend. Small talk. He had to appear normal. Normal. Hiro bestowed Akira with a smile, as his mind already calculated and sorted the next sentences he would need to say in order to get Akira off their throats. They still needed to get to Steven. And the faster, the better. The younger Hamada was so trapped in his thoughts that he almost didn't catch Akira's reply.

 

''Hell yes! Your teach-skills are at max! You should've seen the shocked expressions of my classmates..it was awesome. And that's all thanks to you, you're my hero, Hiro'' The red haired smiled clumsily at the younger Hamada, a little embarrassed by his own choice of words. ''Wow..this is the best word-pun I've heard in years..ha...ha'' The younger Hamada stated dryly, crossing his arms in front of his chest. A crooked smile tugged at the left corner of his mouth, indicating Akira that he somewhat appreciated his compliment. 

 

''I've..your aunt probably told you that I visited the Lucky Cat Café, wanted to bring you back your books. Sadly, I don't have them with me right now. They are still at my house. Maybe you want to visit my house today? You know getting the back and hanging around with me in the process? The eighteen year old looked at the younger Hamada, kinda shyly with the right portion of innocence, obviously trying to mask his hidden attempt to steal Hiro away from Tadashi. The twenty-three year old clenched his hands beneath his pockets. He had to suppress a growl as well as to withstand the overwhelming desire to tear this expression of that assholes face, who wanted to steal his precious baby brother from him.

 

Before Hiro's mind could comprehend the meaning behind Akira's words, his consciousness sensed Tadashi's distress. Without thinking, he placed his hand on Tadashi's firm arm, calming him down through the soft touch. ''I'm sorry Akira. But Tadashi and I have to go right now. Maybe we can meet up another time? '' Questioningly, the younger Hamada looked at his older friend. A warm smile was plastered on his lips. ''Is it important? A meeting or something? Maybe I can pick you up later?'' Akira tilted his head to the side, persistent, not giving up.

 

''Sorry, he doesn't have time right now. Or later. And we really have to go, so bye friend of Hiro'' Tadashi placed his hand possessively over Hiro's shoulder, as he firmly spoke his words in a rough tone. Before he lead Hiro to the moped, leaving a stunned Akira behind, who had still chills all over his body, caused by the looks which Tadashi was shooting at him. Looks which were clearly telling him ' If you try to lay your hands on my little brother, I will flay you alive'.

 

''Sorry Akira! Maybe next Thursday!'' Hiro called out with a smile as Tadashi started the engine and the Hamada brothers drove off. Disappearing from Akira's point of view. * I'm going to get him. And you cannot stop me, older brother of Hiro* Determined the red haired punk decided, gulping down the bitter taste of defeat, before he took his black helmet, started the engine and drove off. His brain already coming up with new strategies. * Maybe I should ask my cousins to-no this won't do any good...or will it?*

 

~~~~~~~

 

Hiro wrapped his arms tighter against the broad warm chest of his older brother, while he pressed his face into his firm back, his cheek resting against Tadashi's spine, as his thoughts circled around his head. He tried to forget the feeling how incredibly good he felt as Tadashi indicated the possibility that Hiro could only be his. And in return Tadashi would only belong to Hiro and to no one else.

 

Such thoughts were dangerous, because they were trying to weaken his resolve.

 

The Hamada brothers passed different streets, as they took the short cuts, Steven had described them a few days ago. Tadashi turned to the right, to the left and then they arrived at  
the park. At the left corner, was a parking lot, which they could use. As Tadashi turned off the engine, Hiro had to practically glue himself from his older brother. If he wanted to, he could hold onto him forever. And Tadashi would let him- because he had no other choice.

 

''Hey..are you alright?'' Worried cinnamon brown eyes stared at Hiro's chocolate brown one's. A big bandaged hand, gently traced over the curve his cheek, causing the younger Hamada to instinctively to lean against the warm touch for a moment. In moments like these, the sixteen year old had the distinctive feeling, like his older brother could read him like an open book. ''I hope you're not sad because I spoke a little too harsh to your friend, are you?'' Tadashi asked. 

 

Forget the open book thing. 

 

''No. Everything is fine, big bro. Come on nerd, we gotta get going. Gotta save the world'' Hiro announced grinning as he slid off the passenger seat and both of the brothers went through the corners of the park, Steven Heartnet had mentioned in his earlier descriptions. They tried to avoid as many people as they could. On afternoons there were always people who jogged or went with their dog out for a walk. The pebbles crunched beneath Hiro's feet and the sun shone cheerfully through the leaves. It could've been a really nice to chill in the park, if it weren't for the dark thoughts, consuming him.

 

Tadashi and Hiro couldn't be careful enough, from what Steven had told them, Violet Green's subordinates were already searching for the subjects RA2015 and FO2015. They went on, taking the path. Side by side. Only a few centimeters held their arms apart. A young couple walked passed them, holding hands together, staring at each other with a happy expression on their face.

 

Hiro looked from the couple back to Tadashi and then lower, to Tadashi's left hand, which was trembling in his pockets. The younger Hamada wished he could touch it, enclose his own shaking hand around Tadashi's, but the wish was silly. Downright ridiculous, because it would surely only make matters a lot more worse, then better. The sixteen year old fidgeted, before he shook his head. §...What?~ Too shy to hold hands, when you were already grinding your hips down onto his, this morning?~§ The fox sizzled gleefully with its sugar coated voice.

 

''Shut up!'' Hiro shouted. He realized too late that he thought out loud. Thankfully, there weren't many people around them, so his outburst didn't draw any attention towards them.  
'' Hiro?'' The older Hamada halted in his movements, hands reaching forward in order to- to what exactly? Tadashi halted in his movements. Worrying to hurt his little brother with his actions. ''I..I'm sorry. It's..it's nothing. We've got to keep going'' Hiro expressed shakily before he moved forward, passing Tadashi's outstretched hands in which he desperately wanted to sink in. 

 

The older Hamada withdrew his hands and followed his little brother, suppressing a helpless roar, which wanted to escape his mouth. He clenched his teeth together as he caught up with Hiro. His precious confident younger brother, who looked so utterly lost at the moment. He wanted to reassure him that everything will be alright. Wanted to hold him. Press him closer to his chest. Ruffle through his hair, he wanted to-

 

''Tadashi? I think we arrived'' Hiro mentioned, pointing at the Victorian apartment complex in front of their eyes. The older Hamada gulped roughly, trying to swallow down his filthy thoughts, while the monster kept gleefully trashing against its cage, wanted to be freed. ''Hiro..'' Softly, his cinnamon gaze traced over the mesmerizing form of his younger brother. His voice, pleading and guilty at the same time.

 

Without thinking, Hiro threw his body on Tadashi's, wrapping his lithe arms around his older brother, pressing his face into the solid warm chest. The scent of lemons and mint waved into his consciousness. ''Everything will be alright.. everything will be fine..you've got to hold on..got to stay strong..Dashi..we will be..fine'' Hiro drew a shaky breath as he felt, warm arms enclosing around his back. Tadashi's rapid heartbeat kept thumbing against Hiro's ears.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

A few moments later, they were standing in Steven Heartnet's research room. It was all thanks to an old lady, which swept up from behind Tadashi and right into Hiro's point of view, causing him to struggle out of the warm embrace. 

 

''And you're sure, nobody decided to follow you?'' Worriedly Steven's ocean blue eyes ghosted over Hiro's and Tadashi's forms. '' Positive. We were careful, don't worry'' Hiro said grinning lightly, before he turned back to his modified electric device. Controlling the neural access point's stability, as Tadashi and Steven began to outline the construction plan of the Cain Corporation's main building. Outlining the parts, which the they are most likely to pass, when they arrive through the secret passageway from the Royal Masquerade.

 

The younger Hamada checked his integrated circuit once again. The soft blinking of the laptop connected to his device, indicated him, his device worked correctly. Relief spread through Hiro. ''Guys, I think the system is working as it should! '' He announced enthusiastically. '' With the bundled overlapping signals of the fox and the raven mask, we will be able to disconnect the people from the Cain Corporation! I changed their original function for our advantage. Now I only have to create a distraction. Something, we will need to sneak unnoticed into the secret basement.'' Hiro brushed his bangs off his face. ''By the way, did you already find out where this hidden basement may lay?'' Expectantly he looked at Steven and his older brother. His chocolate gaze trailed over the paper plan on the wooden desk.

 

''We only need a few moments.'' Steven replied. Tadashi nodded with a gentle smile, not speaking, fearing the roughness of his voice. The older Hamada knew, if they didn't make it today. He couldn't control it any longer. If they failed, he would get away from Hiro as much as possible, because his overwhelming immoral desires grew with each seconds that passed. He really hoped that Steven somehow got his hands on the stun gun. His little brother would need it to protect himself.

 

''That's awesome. I think, I'll be able to calibrate the masks so they can even sent signals to the modern fire-extinguishing system, which would be great, in order to create confusion. Resulting in people which want to run away as fast as possible, causing enough turmoil for us, to sneak into the basement without getting noticed...hm...maybe we'll also need new masks in order to blend in....'' Thoughtfully, the younger Hamada stared at his newly created device, mumbling to himself, while furrowing his brow, mind already thinking about the next steps to take.

 

Meanwhile Steven and Tadashi outlined the best routes to take on their construction plan. In order to sneak into Violets Green's, secured office, they would need certain things, like a device which shut their camera system down as well as smoke bombs in order to confuse the guards. Steven Heartnet knew, the Hamada brothers were near their breaking point. They struggled to succeed in keeping the twisted thoughts at bay. 

 

Steven saw, how Tadashi's eyes kept flickering to his younger brother and how he clenched his bandaged hands into fists, suppressing his instincts to bore his thumb into the healing wound on his upper leg. And Steven saw, how Hiro trembled and shook his head, as if in order to fight a thought away. 

 

The blonde man massaged his scalp as he stared at the construction plan. He needed to find the most safe route through the passageway and into the Cain Corporation. Time was ticking and Violet Green's subordinates were still searching for the Hamada brothers.

 

~~~~~~


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi :D ......The last two weeks, I was kinda stuck in a black hole, which was trying to suck all of my creativity and motivation in. 
> 
> Anyway~ A BIG THANKS AND YAY for YOU dear reader, for still sticking with my story :D And as always - >WARNING: Grammar-mistakes, typos and misspellings.
> 
> Well~ I wish ya a good time with reading another chapter of 'Both a sinner and a gentleman at heart' :D Stay awesome ^^
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

\--------------

 

With an energetic motion, Jeff Scofield brushed his brown hair away, which kept unyieldingly flying in his face, hindering him, from properly observing the Victorian apartment complex before his eyes. Annoyed, he kept glaring at the building. Like it was his personal mortal enemy. In addiction, the wind howled scrupulously through the night. Jeff stood currently on top of a modern apartment. It was getting colder, he slung his jacket tighter around his chest and grimly kept his eyes at the building in front of him. He hated waiting. Despised it even. He sighed. Irked.

 

There were always better things to do, than pointlessly staring at something for an unknown period of time. Like buying a cup of hot coffee for example or killing the business man which Simon and he had encountered earlier, because of the strange looks, which he had sent them. Both him and his twin brother possessed two different set of eye colors. Their left eye was bluish-green and their right eye had a rather dark brownish color, almost seemingly pitch black to people they dealt with.

 

Jeff sighed anew as he kept his eyes plastered onto the apartment complex. More precisely, onto a special part of the Victorian Apartment complex. The part where one of their targets resided at the moment. It was dark. But the darkness didn't hinder him from observing what he had to observe. In his black gloved hands, he held one of the best functioning observing devices on the market, bestowing him and his brother with the practical opportunity to take glimpses behind walls and closed curtains. The electric device sensed human body warmth and transferred it into red colors, allowing them to see silhouettes of the persons, scattered all around the apartment complex. But only one person did truthfully matter to them. 

 

Simon and him, especially chose this place for observing, because it was out of reach from the cameras, which the rat had installed all around the complex. From a strategical point of view, their location was ideal. But from a freezing, wind-blowing and annoying point of view, it was the worst. The chilly wind pestered Jeff down to his bones.

 

''Why the fuck, can't we just storm in and capture him now?! Why did SHE even change her plans?! Originally, we would have already assassinated him, disposed of his body and drunken  
a warm coffee, somewhere nice and not-fucking windy! '' With a frustrated exhale, Jeff Scofield finished, his voice, scratchy, sounding like chalk scraping on an old school blackboard. He lowered his electric device and looked at his twin brother Simon, who only looked back at him, raising one of his brow, undoubtedly questioning the intelligence of the person with whom he was blood-related with. 

 

''You know..Violet's orders are absolute. We can't afford to act against her will.'' His twin brother answered with his raspy voice. A voice, sounding similar to the sound of two graters, pushing against each other. ''We already know her long enough, in order to sense how risky it can be not to act according to her orders and her will or did you forget the small little incident with your right middle fingers?'' Simon continued, while pointing with his index finger at Jeff's still gloved hands. His middle fingers were still very intact. But that hadn't always been the case. In a rage fit, he had once pointed both of his middle fingers at Violet Green. 

 

A mistake he never wanted to do again. Of course she didn't like his ''bad manners''. But they way she handled them...Jeff slowly inspected his gloved hand. He still had shivers down his spine, as he thought back to the time, in which her guards held him down while she chopped both of his middle fingers off, slowly, agonizingly, before sewing them back into their original place. He still had stitches. A memory. She made it clear not to use his middle fingers in front of her in that manner ever again. 

 

It had been an agony worth of experiencing. He still tended to swear. Swearing was his fucking nature. And as long as he didn't direct his swearing at Violet Green, she let him get away with it. *Strange...* He asked himself sometimes. * Why does she have such an obsession with silencing swearing or bad gestures directed at her?..Ah..well..it isn't my business. As long as she pays the money, no questions will be asked.* They even weren't necessary. Simon and him had a mission and they had to accomplish it. Nothing more. Nothing less. 

 

It was just a little frustrating. Finally, they were able to locate this little motherfucker and now they had to wait till either subject RA2015 and FO2015 arrive near Steven Heartnet's little hideout or Violet Green gave them the signal to finally catch this sly little nuisance. Jeff hadn't like him-nor hate him in particular the first time he met him. But now, he was feeling raging hatred towards the ex-hacker of his female boss, because he was indirectly responsible for his cold feeling skin and his bad mood.

 

''I can't wait to lay my hands around this stupid fuckers neck'' Jeff uttered with his scratchy voice as he picked the observing device up and placed it in front of his face. Eyes already looking through the round spaces. This was the part of their job, which Jeff Scofield hated the most. And even if his twin brother remained silent after his statement. Jeff knew, he thought the same. There was nothing more agonizingly boring for hired killers than to wait. And to stand still.

 

His eyes trailed around the environment of the Victorian apartment complex, searching for two figures, which would climb up to the floor, leading to the apartment as well as to the room Steven Heartnet was now sitting in. Typing words in his personal computer. Maybe already trying to hack into another high secured system. Who knows?

 

The only thing Jeff and Simon Scofield didn't know, was the fact that the missing subjects RA2015 and FO2015 already left the apartment complex. They forfeit the chance to encounter them, only by a few minutes. Before they arrived at the roof top of the modern building, the Hamada brothers already walked out of the building. Initiating the first phase of their plan to sneak into the Cain Corporation.

 

\-------

 

~~~~~~~~~

Even in the riskiest situations the Hamada brothers weren't losing their focus. It was admirable how they kept going, despite the awful things which happened around them. They both had such great potential and such a high intellect. Steven feared, nothing much will be left of it than an empty void, if their plan failed. An empty void, ready to be filled with the ill instructions of a ruthless snake, called Violet Green. But he wouldn't allow that. Steven swore to himself that he would protect them.

 

''Are you really ready? I mean..you're sure?'' Steven Heartnet worriedly stated as he adjusted the headphones on his ears, his ocean blue eyes fixated the lithe black dressed figure on his computer screen. Hiro Hamada was standing in front of the Royal Masquerade, waiting for Steven's signal to enter. His face was covered by a gray wolf-mask. A few hours ago he had copied the code from his original fox-mask onto this newly bought one. The scanner on the pitch black door wouldn't find him suspicious and would allow him to enter.

 

''Yes, I am. I am even 100% sure and ready. I know this plan isn't bullet proof, but we don't have enough time to work through it again. Best we have is the plan B, which we have on our side... somehow we'll make it through..so don't worry and Steven?'' Hiro asked through the mini-loudspeakers, integrated in his mask. ''Yes?'' The blue eyes man replied, fingers trembling against the keyboard, shaking with fear of what might happen if their plan failed. ''I know, I've already said this, but...thanks. I don't know what would have happened to Tadashi and me, if it weren't for your help.'' The image of Hiro on Steven's screen, tilted its head and nodded slightly at the installed little camera on the right corner of the street.

 

Steven Heartnet gulped. He felt like he was about to sent them both on a suicide mission. ''You're welcome.'' The tall blonde man mentioned, feeling like he swallowed down a lump. He entered new codes into the camera system of the Cain Corporation's Royal Masquerade. ''You can go in now. I've adjusted the settings...and...be careful, okay?'' Ocean blue eyes stared at the bluish flickering computer screen as he whispered the words into the tiny loudspeaker of his headphones.

 

The figure on the screen gave him a small thumbs-up, as it moved towards the pitch black door. A door which opened like the waiting greedy mouth of a rapacious beast, swallowing the  
lithe frame of the younger Hamada within two seconds. As the door closed behind Hiro, Steven started to type new codes into the system.

 

~~~~~~~~~

 

Tadashi was waiting for his signal. Four streets away. Even if his state had gotten a lot worse in the last few hours, he was reluctant to stay at Steven's apartment and to rest, like Hiro had recommended to him. The older Hamada took a deep breath as another wave of nausea struck through his mind, hammering through his brain, almost causing him to stagger. With a low gasp, he leaning against the dirty yellow painted wall. The desire to run towards the direction in which his younger brother had disappeared a few minutes ago, seemed overwhelmingly strong. Itching and scratching. Gnawing in the back of his mind.

 

''Tadashi? Are you-'' Steven Heartnet's voice waved through the older Hamada's consciousness, coming from the tiny headset, integrated in his mask ''No... I'm not.. freaking alright. If that was your question. Tell me... how many fucking minutes do I have to wait Steven?!'' Tadashi furiously whispered into the tiny microphone, clenching and un-clenching his free bandaged hand in a hectic, almost aggressive manner, while he hid in the shadows, staying out of view, from the few passersby. The monster's trashing became more and more unbearable with each passed second. Like it was tearing every bit of Tadashi's mind away.

 

Restlessly, his darkened cinnamon brown eyes flickered from one corner of the alley to another. Grasping everything to the last lurking detail. The small rat, searching for food near the banisters. The badly painted walls as well as every bit of dust clinging desperately to the empty flowerpots on the window board on his left. *One...two....and.... seven....ten....* He counted.

 

''Only a couple of minutes.'' The hesitant words, which Steven's nervous voice carried through  
the electric device into Tadashi's brain stopped his mental counting for a moment, catching him off guard. ''A couple of minutes for what?'' He asked, voice lowered, less aggressive this time, but still possessing enough anger to make Steven Heartnet flinch on the other side of the town. If Tadashi wasn't busy fighting this suffocating darkness in his mind, he would've felt bad for his choice of tone. But he was near his breaking point and he didn't have the energy to care about anyone anymore. Except for Hiro. Only Hiro. His precious baby brother. His everything.

 

Tadashi heard how Steven drew a shaky breath from the other side of the electric main, before the older man stated his words. ''It will take Hiro a couple of minutes, before he can locate the automatic fire alarm system. Only after that you can go into the Royal Masquerade. We've already spoken about this...Tadashi..are you sure that you can...hold it in?'' Concern jittered through Steven Heartnet's calm and collected voice. The older Hamada's brain needed a few moments to absorb the information in his head and put it into the right shelf. 

 

* ...Twenty...twenty-four....thirty...* He was still staring at the dust, clinging to the empty flower pots, like him, clinging to his last empty bits of consciousness. He took another deep breath, before he answered. ''Yes.... I..I can hold it...I still keep fighting against this thing..in my head...this monster...I don't know whether I can win or not. The only thing I am sure of is that I can't let my little brother...can't let him... wander into the Cain Corporation by himself...under other aspects... I would have asked you to accompany him...but we need you behind the monitors...and...I...I think you may have already noticed how Hiro's lack of presence is affecting''- A throbbing pain washed through Tadashi's nervous system.- '' affecting me'' He ended, leaning against the wall, still hiding in the shadows. Eyes still flickering into the direction  
of the dusty empty flower pots. 

 

The blonde man, sitting in front of his own computer, had indeed noticed how strong the mask-inducted pull became for both of the Hamada brothers. Especially for the older Hamada. Hiro had been right. They didn't have another time to try it out, to rethink their plan or to wait for another opportunity. They needed to act. They needed this document protocol and they needed it now. Tadashi's painful gasps were pierced into Steven's ears, like chainsaws. Somehow he felt like he was the one responsible for all this mess. Redemption. He wanted to help, to encourage the older Hamada, but he knew that the only think keeping Tadashi stable at this point, was his younger brother. Hiro.

 

Therefore Steven waited silently, his fingers flying above the keyboard as his eyes traced from the computer screen to his camera surveillance system. He knew that he had to be careful. Some people might call his antics a paranoia, but Steven knew better. Since the last few days he had a bad feeling in his gut. Like dark cloud above his head, declaring the looming disaster, which was about to happen, morphing into a full fledged storm. Sometimes, he even felt like someone was watching him, but that couldn't be possible. He had pulled the curtains downs as well as the shutters, hindering every person outside to sneak a peck into his apartment room.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Hiro Hamada dug his way through the heatedly dancing masked crowd. His chocolate brown eyes calculatedly ghosted over the ceiling, searching for familiar marks. Under his black shirt, he hid the electromagnetic dart, the small stun gun as well as the thing he liked to call his plan B. He wasn't stupid. Hiro knew it was very risky to sneak into a highly secured facility, but they wouldn't have another chance. While Tadashi's mind was slowly crumbling down, the walls of defiance, the younger Hamada had built, also became more shaky, the fox still trying to sizzle his sugar-coated voice into Hiro's consciousness.

 

As Hiro made his way through the cloud, he felt the music, pumping in his veins. Elegantly, he  
wriggled himself out of heated bodies, masked faces and clouded eyes, while his own eyes continued to search for the automatic fire alarm. Without attracting attention, his lithe fingers slid under the wolfs-mask and pressed onto one of the three buttons on the right corner. He was bestowed with a soft, almost inaudible beep. Now, he only had to wait for his older brother. The younger Hamada sat down onto the counter and smiled at the barkeeper, who handed him a free drink.

 

Of course, the younger Hamada didn't have any plans to get drunk tonight, but he needed to keep a normal appearance. §...~come on..let..me..in~..It will be..fun..so much fun~..you want it~....you want him~..he wants you~...so..many opportunities~....~§ The fox sizzled, laughing haughtily. 

 

The sixteen year old leaned back and looked into the glass in his hands, which was trembling. Along with his lithe skin on his arms. Small, tiny and almost invisible goosebumps made their way down to his spine, pulsating, pounding, as the fox made him remember all the times, when he was dancing in the masked dance hall, pressing his body against the warm skin of the good-looking stranger, who turned out to be his older brother. The moving lights as well as the special effects hurt his eyes. Stinging. Blinding him. Making him feel dizzy. The bass tried to worm its way into his consciousness, his already shaky wall of defiance grew smaller with every beat drop.

 

*..I need to focus..focus..stay strong...stay strong..* Hiro closed his eyes for a moment and held the glass of alcohol on his lips, appearing like he was drinking the greenish mixture, which the barkeeper had offered him a few moments ago. As he placed the glass back onto the counter, his index finger traced around the wet round surface of said glass. Hiro tried to recall, the construction plan in his head. Every turn and every junction, Tadashi and him would  
need to follow the safe route, to get through the underground tunnel system, leading them straightly into the facility building of the Cain Corporation.

 

Suddenly, out of the blue, the strong fragrance of musk, lemons and mint filled Hiro's nostrils, as familiar solid arms wrapped themselves around his chest. Pressing his back close to a warm pleasant chest. The younger Hamada wanted to melt against the figure, holding him tight. ''Missed me?'' Tadashi whispered against Hiro's right ear, sending shivers down his spine. Sparks of electricity bubbled beneath his veins as he turned around, facing the dark cinnamon eyes of his older brother. ''Of course~'' Hiro purred, leaning his heavy head against the broad secure chest of the older Hamada.

 

They stood like that for a few seconds. Hiro didn't know how to describe it, but being without Tadashi on his side, felt like some important part of him was missing. An important part which left a void wherever Tadashi wasn't near him. But being with him. Being with him, felt good. Strangely good. Fascinatingly good, because he knew Tadashi had only eyes for him now. Hiro knew very well that Tadashi wouldn't feel the same way anymore, if they got their hands onto the important protocol, waiting for them at the Cain Corporation.

 

§...~come on~..do you really want to turn him back?~§

 

§....do you want to throw it all away?~..§

 

§...this~..perrfect opportunity~..to be closer to your older brother than you couldn't ever imagine?~..§

 

§... Not even in your wildest dreams?~..Hiro~..Hiro~ Hiro~..§

 

''Hiro?''

 

''Hiro?''

 

The younger Hamada ripped his eyes wide open as he saw familiar warm brown eyes staring worriedly down at him. Love. Lust. Love. Lust. All these things were floating beneath Tadashi's ember eyes. His caring big hands, trembled against Hiro's lithe back. Slowly, the sixteen year old snapped out of his trance. ''I'm...I'm sorry..I...I don't know..why I...I-'' Hiro uttered confused as he placed his cream colored hand onto Tadashi's chest. Underneath, his fingertips, he could feel the soft thumbing sound of his heartbeat.

 

''..Tadashi...we ..we need to focus. Steven is probably right know... trying to hack into the system of the fire alarm.... I modified our old masks in a way, which will allow them to use the fire alarm as a booster.... increasing the electromagnetic power, disconnecting the main access points from the mask wearing victims... which didn't reach the full capability... yet.'' The younger Hamada whispered in Tadashi's ear as he slowly untangled the hands of his older brother from his torso.

 

''We need to be careful...the signal could start in any mo-'' A loud piercing sound vibrated through the Royal Masquerade, silencing the music. Before people even got a chance to comprehend what was happening to them, cold water started to rattle down their bodies. Tadashi took Hiro's hand, as panic started to spread through the crowd. People began to tear the masks of their faces, others we're already running to the exit and still others began to scream, surprised at the sudden coldness hitting their heads and the loud beeping sound of the signals, which Steven had managed to manipulate successfully.

 

Hiro expected this to happen. What he didn't expect was the noise to be so agonizing. The lights where still swirling before his eyes and he had a hard time to orientate himself. If it weren't for Tadashi's hand, leading him out of the grand hall and into the corridor on the left. People where already desperately trying to run to the right corridor. To the exit. To freedom.  
Nobody noticed the two black masked figures, making their way into the opposite direction of the panic crowd.

 

The Hamada brothers ran towards the basement, already remembering the shortcuts, imagining the construction plan, calling it up before their inner eye. They were still holding hands as they passed the different routes as well as the hung pictures on the wall. Despite of feeling the secure warmth of Tadashi's hand in his own, Hiro felt like somebody was watching him. But as he turned around, the corridor was empty. No one. No person. Just a few pictures hanging on the walls.

 

''Now to the right!'' Hiro ordered as a familiar cross-corridor came into view. Tadashi nodded as he turned to the right. Running side by side with his younger brother. They halted as a metallic door came into their view. Tadashi pulled a small plastic bag, filled with white powder from his jeans pockets and opened it, pouring some of the content into the small opening of the metallic door. The older Hamada nodded to his younger brother, as they both took a step back and the older Hamada lit a match and threw it on the keyhole.

 

After a few seconds, a small explosion bursted out of the keyhole. '' And people call me the genius'' Hiro mentioned, smiling slightly, while admiring the precise work of his older brother.  
Tadashi smiled back at him, as he closed the small plastic bag and put it in the pockets of his jeans. '' A really neat idea big dork'' The sixteen year old declared, feeling the warmth of his brothers hands, ruffling through his ebony colored hair. He knew that Tadashi fought right now with his inner demon. The least Hiro could do was to give him back at least some calming normalcy.

 

Tadashi withdrew his hand and turned his attention towards the door and put his hands on the metallic door-handle, opening the heavy door with a swift motion of his arm, holding the door open for his younger brother. ''My gentleman'' The younger Hamada snickered softly, as he passed through the door. As both of the Hamada brothers were in, the door closed again. Leaving them in an underground system, which was filled with complete darkness.

 

But not for long. Hiro charmed a tiny flashlight out of his own pockets. It's battery having the clearly capacity to enlighten everything within the radius of half a mile. The Hamada brothers were still wearing their masks. As they made their way through the underground tunnel system underneath San Fransokyo. ''Hiro...'' Tadashi stated suddenly. Voice rough and kinda..ragged. ''....What?'' The younger Hamada asked, furrowing his brow behind his mask.

 

''If something happens out there...please try not to-'' Tadashi was cut off by the soft bleeping sound of their masks. Steven's voice started to wave through their ears. '' Is everything alright?'' He asked worriedly. Did everything work according to the plan? Are you at the underground tunnel system right now?'' The blonde man asked. Tadashi had the strong to smash the damn loudspeaker into pieces, but he restrained himself.

 

''Yes! It went perfectly fine. We are now probably right beneath the Nagafornia district.'' Hiro replied into his headset. As the Hamada brothers continued to move on. '' The incident with the fire alarm and the mask disconnection will have already caused a nice little chaos by now. The Cain Corporation will be busy trying to figure out how this could've happen and to hide the mass panic from the media.'' The younger Hamada claimed confidently as Tadashi and him took the planned safely route through the tunnel system. The route, where no other people of the Cain Corporation could wander around, because it simply would be a liability and a waste of time. Especially, under the current circumstances. When there was an error in the system.

 

''That's good to hear. I'll try to help you by tracking down the GPS- trackers in the masks'' Steven Heartnet expressed and a few moments later the Hamada brothers could only hear the typing sounds, coming from Steven Heartnet's computer. Tadashi's fingers trembled. Hiro noticed and placed his lithe hand on his arm. The trembling decreased a little. Both of them passed the pale dark gray walls and pipes as they made their way through the tunnel system.

 

''Yes!'' Steven shouted enthusiastically. Both Tadashi and Hiro flinched at his sudden voice volume. ''Sorry'' The blonde haired hacker corrected himself, embarrassed for bursting out like that. '' I got carried away. You have reached Floshima by now. After a few meters there will be the possibility for you to either go to the right or to the left. Please take the left passageway, because the right will lead you straight into the main entrance hall.'' Steven continued.

 

After a few time had passed, the Hamada brothers followed his instructions and took the left tunnel. Hiro dawned his flash light, so that only Tadashi's and his silhouettes were visible. ''Steven? I think we're almost there. The third floor, room 27 to the left, right? That's her office.'' The sixteen year old asked. 

 

'' Yes.'' Steven answered. ''But you need to be careful, even if the tunnel ends right at a fire escape ladder, you need to be careful, not to be seen. I can hack into some parking cars on the other side and organize a distraction for the people, therefore they won't notice you two, climbing up the fire escape to the third floor.'' The blonde man finished ending the transmission. The Hamada brothers continued to move on, as they finally arrived at the end of the tunnel. 

 

Hiro let his flashlight wander up to the ceiling. '' Hmm..strange ..somewhere around here...there was a hatch, on the construction plan...ah..there you are!'' The younger Hamada stated triumphantly, as he noticed the hatch and the ladder, leading them outside. ''Tadashi...could you lift me up?'' Questioningly, the smaller Hamada looked at his older brother. The twenty-three year old only nodded briefly, before he picked his younger brother up, by his hips and arranged him in front of the ladder. 

 

He tried not to think about the way, how his lithe silky skin felt beneath his own rough fingertips. Or how his face almost came into contact with the curve of Hiro's behind. The younger Hamada felt how warmness spread through his cheeks, as he felt the hands of his older brother on his hipbones. But he shook his head and concentrated himself on reaching the ladder. He breathed out relieved as his hands finally grabbed the iron.

 

''Tadashi, I've got it! Could you lift me up a little more?'' Hiro smiled as Tadashi complied. Hands wandering from his hips to this upper legs and then to his lower legs, till the older Hamada was supporting his feet. Meanwhile, the younger Hamada grabbed the next ladder parts, in front of him. Using his and Tadashi's strength to bring him up to the hatch. ''Thanks, I think, I can manage on my own now'' The smaller Hamada claimed.

 

''Are you sure?'' The twenty-three year old asked. Hiro could even see in his position the soft worried lines on Tadashi's face, hidden underneath the mask, which he was wearing. He chuckled softly. ''Don't worry nerd, even if I fall, you'll be there to catch me, won't you?'' Hiro declared, already knowing the answer, as he hoisted himself up. ''Tadashi, be careful, I'm going to drop the other half of the ladder'' Hiro stated. ''Okay?'' He asked. ''Alright'' Tadashi replied, getting a few steps back, as the ladder enlarged with a clashing tone.

 

Hiro unlocked the closing mechanism and opened the door, leaning his whole weight against the hatch. With a heavy grunt, the door opened. The younger Hamada climbed the other ladders up. ''See? Everything is perfectly fi-'' The rung of the ladder beneath his right foot broke into two pieces and he lost his balance, falling back into the darkness. Hiro's heart skipped a beat, as warm arms caught him in the midair like he weighted nothing. The shock was still sitting deep in Hiro's gut.

 

''Are you alright?'' Tadashi whispered, still holding him in his arms. ''Yeah..yeah..I'm..I'm fine..thanks...and you..you can put me back by the way'' Hiro stuttered as he resisted the urge to lean his head against the warm solid chest of his older brother. 

 

§...you want it~ you want him~..§

 

§...don't fight~..don't resist~ don't fight~...§ 

 

The younger Hamada bit his bottom lip as he wriggled himself out of his brothers hold. ''Hiro?'' Tadashi asked worriedly. ''It. It did it again.'' The younger Hamada replied weakly. ''We should hurry up'' Tadashi mentioned with rough voice, as he indicated to the ladder. ''Steven?'' The older Hamada asked as he pressed down the button on his mask. ''Yes?'' Steven answered. '' A few moments ago you were talking about a distraction for the workers at the Cain Corporation. I think now would be the perfect time for it'' Tadashi claimed, looking from his own trembling hand, to Hiro's shaking figure. It tore him apart to see his younger brother like that but he couldn't help him. Not when his own ''it'' was trashing against it's cage.

 

'' Alright. I'm going to activate the codes. Please be careful. Both of you'' Steven Heartnet said as he logged out of the system. Tadashi took a deep breath and looked at his younger brother. Hiro nodded. They both climbed up the ladder. Tadashi insisted on climbing behind Hiro in order to cushion his fall, if he was to fall down again. 

 

It was dark as they hoisted themselves up, leaving the tunnel behind them as well as the old dusty smell, which clung to the walls. The building in front of them faintly glowed in a strange whiteness. The younger Hamada pointed to the fire ladders a few meters away from them. Now they only had to wait for the signal. In the meantime they hid behind bushes, observing the metallic construction in front of them. ''Hiro, do you still have the stun gun and the smoke bombs?'' Tadashi whispered quietly next to him.

 

''Yes, I do. We're going to use them for the guards, which are most likely to patrol in front of Violet Green's room. She''- Hiro looked at the watch on his wrist. ''She is probably downstairs, on her coffee hour, like Steven had mentioned from his observations.'' The younger Hamada finished. Tadashi nodded, eyes still fixated on his younger brother as he brushed a bang away from Hiro's face. Slightly, the younger Hamada leaned into the touch. ''Everything is going to turn back to normal.... everything will be fine'' Hiro whispered gently. Tenderly, brushing his cheek against the trembling palm of Tadashi's hand.

 

Tadashi smiled bitterly. A smile, which Hiro couldn't see in the darkness. The truth was.... that a part of him, didn't want to change a thing. He wanted to stay close to Hiro. Like that. He wanted to be the only one in his life. The only one in Hiro's life to brush the bangs out of his face. To hold him. To hug him. To kiss him. Tadashi wanted to take him far away. Wanted to make him his. He didn't want anyone else to touch his younger brother. Hiro was his and only his. *No..he...doesn't want to...he is being manipulated...get the fuck..out of my mind!..* With a low groan Tadashi turned away, silently wailing in misery for letting the monster into his head. He knew it wouldn't be long. He wouldn't last long. ''Ta..Tadashi?'' Hiro whispered softly, warm chocolate eyes looking at him with love and adoration.

 

The set off, of twenty car alarms were a curse and a blessing at the same time. Now there was no going back. Tadashi was determined not to hurt his little brother. Even if he loved him like no big brother should, he couldn't. He simply couldn't use the state of his younger brother against his will. He needed to fight with all he had. ''Now.'' Tadashi pointed at the fire ladder. Hiro nodded.

 

As people began to turn their attention towards the tumult on the parking lot, the Hamada brothers managed to climb up the fire escape ladder, without anyone noticing. The bad feeling in Hiro's gut, didn't lessen. It grew worse. It only got stronger with every step, which he took. It was risky. Something was off. But no. He couldn't allow himself to hesitate. They had to move forward. 

 

As they stood before floor number three, they simultaneously took cover. Hiro slid to the door and opened it with a soft click. Tadashi followed him. ''Room 27, sixth room on the left'' Hiro muttered as he leaned against he wall, eyes trailing up the corridor. Tadashi followed him suit. They both saw the guards, standing in front of the white tilted corridor. ''Now.'' Hiro said. With a swift motion, he took the smoke bombs from his pockets and threw them in front of the guards feet. Now everything was filled with thick smoke.

 

People started to yell. Screaming to stay alert. Hiro and Tadashi activated the second buttons on their masks, allowing them to see through the thick smoke perfectly. They moved carefully through the blindly confused guards, making their way to the sixth room on the left, without anyone noticing. Hiro took his electromagnetic dart out of his pocket and activated it before he placed it into the fragile space between the modern secured door and the door frame. A soft buzzing sound, vibrated through the shouting people. Hiro nodded at his older brother. Indicating him that he could open the door without being electrolyzed.

 

Tadashi understood. With his free hand, he opened the door. Like they had discussed at Steven's research room, Hiro snuck in, while his older brother waited outside, clearing the area, throwing more smoke bombs if necessary, buying him time. The younger Hamada took a deep breath as he entered the room. 

 

The supposedly empty room. 

 

Only that the room wasn't empty at all. 

 

A white dressed woman, with glasses and violet hair looked at him with a knowing smile on her lips.

 

Hiro's throat went dry. He froze internally. No. This couldn't be true. Steven had said she would be on her break. Oh no...shit...but.. They still needed the document! Hiro's eyes traced the room in front of him. Eyes searching hurriedly for the place where the documents could be hidden. He still had the stun gun in his pockets, if necessary, he could take her on. His resolve wavered as her cold voice pierced through his fast floating thoughts.

 

''Are you perhaps looking for this?'' Mockingly, she held a document folder in her right hand. Teasingly, she waved it in front of him. To the right. To the left. Then again to the right. And again to the left. Hiro didn't like where this was going. She was holding the only hope to save his older brother. Without thinking about it rationally, he surged forward, stun gun loaded, readily in his hand as he darted towards Violet Green, the chief of the Cain Corporation.

 

Her whole stance radiated calmness, almost if she already calculated the opportunity in her head that he would attack her. The stun gun was in close proximity to her skin, as she swiftly turned around and hit his stomach with her right knee. Hiro moaned painfully. His body reacting instinctively, the stun gun flew out of his hand, while he bucked and pressed his hands on his aching stomach. ''Aghh..'' He gasped out as she suddenly yanked him up by his hair. Arranging his face towards the door. ''I really didn't want to be so violent, but you left me no choice subject FO2015'' 

 

Violet Green pressed a button on her left electric device. ''Let him in'' She stated coldly in a polite manner. Goosebumps ran down Hiro's skin. As his mind started to comprehend with whom she could've meant by ''him''. The metallic door flew open and two big, bulky guards dragged his older brother into the white tilted office of Violet Green. They had managed to drag the mask out of his face. His battered face looked even worse then before as he stared at his younger brother with a terrified expression on his face.

 

''HIRO!!'' He shouted, before furiously looking at the woman yanking his precious baby brother up by his hair, hurting him. Tadashi saw red. Raging fire fueled his mind in kerosine, traveling its way down to his bones, seeping into his blood. With an inhuman growl, Tadashi ripped his way out off the firm grasp of the two bulky figures. They fell to the floor. In a few seconds, Tadashi beat them down. Fists meeting flesh repeatedly. After a two painful screams, both of the guards were lying face down on the white tilted floor.

 

Blood was dripping down their wounds. One should expect that Violet Green would be scared. Terrified even, facing the monster, which she had created. But she wasn't. She wasn't scared. Not even in the tiniest bit. In contrary, she was proud. Like a mother would be of her newborn son. Tadashi growled in her direction, taking a step towards his younger brother, who was still being held captive in the grasp of Violet Green.

 

''LET.HIM.GO!!'' His yell reverberated through her office. As he surged forward. ''Ah. ah~ I wouldn't even dare to move subject RA 2015.... that it unless you want the brain of your cutie here.... all splattering around the floor.... You wouldn't want such a cruel thing now to happen to his pretty brain, now wouldn't you?'' A crooked smile tugged on her lips as she pressed the cold metal of the pistol against Hiro's head. 

 

Like he was suddenly held in a choke-hold, Tadashi stopped. Cinnamon brown eyes filled with fear.

 

''Good boy. I see your state quite surpassed my expectations. You and subject FO2015 here, are responsible for the seven dead Yakuza, aren't you? Well, you don't need to answer. I already know. And I also know that my unfaithful ex-worker Steven Heartnet has helped you out. Well, he can't help you now. My best agents will have already captured him by now. The only piece of information, I needed was the identity of FO2015. Firstly, I wasn't sure with my suspicions, but after you shouted out his name so devotedly..I can only guess that the young man beneath this mask is no other than Hiro Hamada.'' 

 

With a few hand grips of Violet Green, Hiro's mask fell to the floor with a loud thud. The younger Hamada stared in shock at the woman as she smiled at him in her creepy manner. Shit. Why didn't he listen to the bad feeling in his gut? Fuck. Shit. He somehow needed to break free. He needed to- 

 

''If I was in your shoes subject FO2015, I wouldn't even try to move'' She stated in a quiet voice. Damn. The only thing left was to get Tadashi away from here. ''TADASHI RUN!!!'' He shouted. Only to be silenced by the sharp pain, of metal hitting his head. Agony exploded on his forehead, as everything went black. Violet Green had hit Hiro Hamada with the back of her gun. Tadashi growled, body getting ready to surge forward. To tear heads out of bodies. To shred every piece of her calculated expression.

 

''Ah..ah~..I still can shot a hole through his pretty brain, don't you forget that. Now would you kindly allow yourself to be taken in custody by my other guards?'' Out of the blue another pair of bulky man appeared. Tadashi's raging mind was soothed by agonizing worry and fear. If he didn't want Hiro to suffer, he had to submit to her will. The monster groaned angrily in its loosened cage and Tadashi groaned along. Wordlessly, he let the guards handcuff him.

 

''Good boy. Good boy.'' Violet Green praised him like he was some kind of home trained dog, while Hiro's unconsciousness body still lay on the floor. Tadashi growled anew. He knew, if the chance presented himself, he would not hesitate to kill her.

 

~~~~~~~~

 

''Hiro?''

 

''Tadashi?''

 

''Anyone?''

 

''Are you there?''

 

Steven Heartnet's questions remained unanswered. Only a rustling sound, resonated through his headphones. The blonde man gnawed worriedly his bottom lip. They should be already heading back right now. But they didn't. His GPS tracking system conked out twenty minutes ago, not allowing him to see the silhouettes of the brothers correctly. Not allowing him to support them fully on their way to the lion's den. Steven glanced at the clock of his computer. No. It was far too late. Something must have gone wrong. *Oh no..maybe they got captured? Did the guards catch them?* The blonde man felt a resolve which was beginning to grow into a full determination in his head. He needed to get there. Right now.

 

Just as the blue eyed man wanted to stand up and pack his instruments together in order to help the Hamada brothers, he heard the strong shattering sound of glass, followed by strange raspy laughs which were coming from the outside. A cold shiver ran down Steven's spine as he recognized the voices. Jeff and Simon Scofield. Panic cursed through his veins as he stood up and tried to ran to the door. It was locked. He was locked in his own apartment. Of course.

 

He knew how they twins worked. Always ready and very thorough. Not making any mistakes. Before Steven could ask himself how long the two of them had been standing outside, observing every one of his moves, another compact round object came flying through the window. Piercing through the jalousie as well as the curtain and falling down onto the Persian carpet in the living room.

 

A strange blue colored cloud started emitting from the round compact object. Oh no. This couldn't be good. Steven took a chair in his hands and tried to slam the door in. But it was hopeless. He already felt how the corners of his vision became more and more blurry. He grew weaker with each passed second, until he didn't have the strength to hold himself on his feet anymore. A loud thud resonated through the apartment as Steven Heartnet's motionless body fell to the Persian carpet.

 

Simon and Jeff waited until the blue gas vanished from the apartment room, before they climbed in, through the windows. It was very convenient for them that it was still dark outside. Jeff Scofield was the first one to arrive at Steven Heartnet's room. With long footsteps he surged forward to the motionless lying body of the blonde haired ex-worker. The brown haired young male placed his foot on the blond man's shoulder and moved it back and forth, checking if the special gas, had really knocked him out or not. 

 

He was strangely displeased as he figured out, it was not the case. If the gas wouldn't have managed to knock him off, he could've knock him out in the good old medieval way. And break a few bones in the process. This tall little fucker gave them the run-around after all. But sadly, Violet Green had ordered them both explicitly not to harm him. Yet. Only take him back to the Cain Corporation.

 

''Mission accomplished.'' Simon, his twin brother whispered with his raspy voice into the electric device, which he was holding in his left black gloved hand, before he put the device away and helped his twin brother to drag the motionless body of Steven Heartnet with ropes down the window. Slow and gentle. Almost like a very important and fragile merchandise. Jeff knew, they didn't have to be so careful about it. 

 

But the better the condition is, in which Steven Heartnet arrives at the Cain Corporation, the greater the chance that Violet Green gives them the chance to punish him for his betrayal. And if Jeff Scofield had something other in common with his twin brother besides his looks, it was the thrill of having someone whimper beneath his feet for mercy.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

An aching pain hammered violently through Hiro's skull as he slowly opened his eyes. A sick brightness flowed through his nervous system and nausea started to rise in his throat, but something hindered him from throwing up. He was lying on his back in a horizontal position. *Strange..I didn't even remember waking up in a hospital room. Unless...* Hiro tried to get up, but he was hindered by ropes which where bounding him to the bed. Hinges, like he saw in the psycho horror asylum movies, were tying him down to the white table.

 

Everything around him was white. The ceiling. The bed. The hinges. And even....and even his clothes. Hiro suppressed a shudder at the thought of somebody undressing him. Nausea swept over him again and a bile of vomit tried to rise in his throat. He suppressed it and swallowed it down. It was by far the nastiest thing, which he ever experienced. His head felt fuzzy, like a crowd of people tried to tell him something at once. He tried to remember. To hold onto something. The last thing he remembered were cinnamon brown eyes, looking at him. Terrified. Filled with fear.

 

*TADASHI*

 

Hiro ripped his eyes fully open and ordered his mind to concentrate on that one single thought.  
*Tadashi. Tadashi. Tadashi...oh no..I must escape. I must help him* Hiro struggled against the hinges. It seemed to be useless. They didn't even move an inch. But he kept going. For Tadashi's sake. Who knows what this psycho woman plans to do with him, after she saw what he could do in his raging state? The hinges kept cutting through the flesh of his wrists and ankles, but he kept going. §...psst~...don't move~..she is coming...§

 

For the first time in the last few days, Hiro listened to the voice willingly. Following its command without struggling. He relaxed and appeared like he had just woken up. Out of the blue, the white painted door opened and Violet Green marched into the room. A triumphant glint, sparkling in her ice cold snake-like green eyes. ''Well...how did you sleep Hiro Hamada? I hope from the bottom of my heart that you've slept very well. I didn't even-''

 

''WHERE IS MY BROTHER?!'' Hiro screamed suddenly, cutting her off in her sentence. A loud smack on his left cheek was the answer. The sound reverberated through the small creepy room. A room with only one bed. A monitor. A psycho. And a sixteen year old boy with a stinging pain on his left cheek. He bit his lip in order not to groan. he was determined not to show any weakness in front of this disastrous woman. ''Ah~...Ah~ subject FO2015..you can't interrupt a person in the middle of her speech. That's out of place .'' Violet Green adjusted her glasses as he looked at her white gloved hands. Snipping an invisible fuzz away. 

 

''You should learn to know your place. As well as your manners. There is one thing you have to know, before speaking with me, your creator. I absolutely detest bad manners. But you are lucky, because it's my lucky day. Not only I have finally caught that filthy traitor named Steven Heartnet..oh no..I also finally got my hands on my both most promising subjects. Even if you three managed to cause quite a ruckus at the Royal Masquerade, I don't even need the other subjects, which you have freed anymore, because I have you now. You and subject RA2015. Therefore....Instead of chopping that pretty tongue out of your cute little mouth. I will tell you something about the locating of that big brother of yours.''

 

''His room is next to yours actually. We had to put him under anesthesia, because he kept breaking through every hinge which we tried to bound him in. He kept trashing around, screaming your name. Quite pathetic, if you ask me. All the power. All of his strength. For what? For love? You? His younger brother?'' Violet Green's laugh echoed through the walls of the white tilted room. ''It's disgusting. It's illegal! Did you know that the reason for both of you to be so..how do I say it..? oh..yes... Unhealthily attracted to each other?..It's because the electromagnetic signals of the mask, increased the hidden desires as well as powers of your subconsciousness...You can say...in some sort of way..I helped both of you, to realize how you feel about each other! Ha ha ha~''

 

Hiro looked at her, confused. Not believing what she was saying. Tadashi loved him? Like romantic love? The love which he always secretly yearned to receive from his older brother? No that can't be true! That can't be possible! It simply can't! She must be lying. She is a psycho after all. ''Oh~...from the look in your eyes I take it you don't believe me? Well, whether you believe me or not is not in my interests. I've seen the tapes, which were installed in the grand hall of the Royal Masquerade. I saw how you both kept grinding your hips against each other , like wild animals...'' She shook her head in disgust. 

 

''What would your aunt say? Cassandra Tachihiko, is her full name I believe?'' A calculated smile appeared on her pale lips, as she saw how the younger Hamada flinched against the hinges. She enjoyed it. Seeing him so helpless. After discovering that her mask wearing subjects were no other people than the Hamada brothers. Especially THE Hiro Hamada, who paved her way unknowingly with his neural transmitter micro bot technology. She was oddly pleased. But now he seemed not like a genius in her eyes. He was more like a helpless little boy than a genius prodigy. It would be interesting to see how much he can take before finally snapping. 

 

''And what would your friends say? The ones with these weird names? Gogo? Wasabi? Honey Lemon? Fred? What would your professors say? The other students? The neighborhood? After this piece of information slips out, your social life will be ruined! As well as your future! They will separate you from your dear brother and hospitalize you in different mental institutions. And even if you somehow manage to flee from here. It will still be your downfall'' She chuckled evilly as she saw the expression on his face. ''Wha...what do you mean by that?'' Hiro hated how insecure his voice sounded right now. How weak. But who knows what she was capable of?

 

''Well...besides the anesthetic that we're giving your brother right now.... We are also increasing the signals on his brain... We've made a liquid out of another good experiment. One of my most successful experiments in the past. The experiment still lives. Her subconsciousness is under my control. And soon will the subconsciousness of your older brother be under my control, too!'' Hiro's eyes widened. No. NO. He couldn't allow that to happen! He had to get out! The younger Hamada felt how the fox sizzled, agreeing in his hand. Power. Hiro felt power cursing through his veins. Power and the same strange sort of determinateness he had felt as Yama Yamamoto had threatened to kill Tadashi.

 

This time Hiro broke the hinges by his first try. The ugly white material gave in with a satisfying sound. As he was about to break the ones on his ankles too, he felt a sharp pain on his arm. Shit. A syringe. Tranquilizer. Of course. ''Damn it..'' Hiro gritted through his teeth as he felt how a heavy substance invaded his blood system. He felt how he grew weaker and weaker. He still tried to struggle his way into a sitting position but Violet Green pushed him down. The syringe which was still stuck in his veins was empty, the boss of the Cain Corporation swiftly threw it away.

 

''Did you know, how delighted I was to find out that you both are brothers? It's very convenient for the last step of my long awaited goal! I'm glad I dosed the tranquilizer in the right way. You can't move an inch in your body but you are now still able to hear every word which I have to say. Sadly, these words will be the last ones you will hear Hiro Hamada, before you fully turn into my subject FO2015..Did you know why I named this Corporation, Cain Corporation? How I managed to get so far?''

 

''I come from a household with very religious parents. Idealistic. Narrow-minded. And they were strictly devoted to god's words. Going to the church on Sundays wasn't enough. They had me trained. A six year old child, who couldn't even write properly, to learn each day a new page of the holy bible. Repeating it to my parents with every word and every prayer which I've learned. They were proud of me..so proud. Of course that was when I recited them right. If not..they punished me. Punished until I hurt everywhere. After that..... they prayed. Begged to god for forgiveness... for a good-for nothing daughter like me, who embarrassed the great god father by being unable to recite the verse properly, sullying his greatness. '' Her gaze drifted away for a moment.

 

''I hated them. But I loved them at the same time. I loved the way they praised me when I did something good. Everything was fine. The punishments were getting lesser and lesser and their love for me got stronger with every newly correctly recited verse which I've told them correctly...But peace didn't last long as this thing. As this parasite, this little parasite called Maria came along. My little sister. I was only seven years old as she was born. Seven years as they pushed me aside. Only having eyes for their little cute adorable Maria.''

 

''They were so focused on her that they didn't blink an eye as I recited before their eyes the whole old testament. Slowly, they forgot about their believes. They didn't go to church on Sundays anymore. They didn't praise nor punish me. I was like an empty space for them. Air.  
Looking through me like glass. The hate grew stronger each passed day. I became aware how everything I did. How everything I endured to please them-was for nothing. Useless. Left alone. Empty. And I had nothing to fill this emptiness except for my deep hatred.''

 

''So I planned to murder her. It is funny how my parents always had told me that I could always find an answer in god's words. You know what, subject FO2015? I think they were right. I indeed found the answer to all of my problems in the holy bible. Hidden in a story which intrigued me, since the day Maria was born. The story about the brothers Abel and Cain. The first two children of Adam and Eve. The first humans god had created. The story was about how jealous Cain was of his younger brother and decided to murder him as a result in a fit of anger. Cain's crime was the first murder in the Biblical history. Clearly, I identified myself as Cain. I was like him. I definitely earned to be the best as the one who tried her hardest. But god ignored me, like he ignored Cain. Ignored my efforts. So I decided to become god myself.''

 

''Deciding whether a person lives or dies, should lie in the hands of a greater might? Right? Wrong! I don't think so. It was all in god's hands, all along. Therefore, I decided to play god myself. So I murdered her, my sister. Like Cain murdered Abel. Only I didn't kill her with a stick. Modern times require modern methods. I drowned her in the bathtub. Squeezed the life out of her filthy body. Our parents were furious, but not for long. After I killed them and felt how the life slowly seeped out of their bodies, I finally felt whole. Repaired. Enlightened. Awaken. The power. The control. It was overwhelming. The murder had been a milestone for my whole plan. The plan to become god. Therefore I named my Corporation, the Cain Corporation''

 

''Well...how did you like my story?'' Violet Green traced their eyes up and down the motionless figure in front of her. '' You certainly, ask yourself right now, why did I decide to tell you my old boring story? Well...First of all, I doubt you will be long enough alive to spread it around. And second. After our little conversation, one of my best workers will inject you with the same substance as your older brother. When the substance has finally overwritten your senses, you will become my personal property. Will-less. Powerful. With only one goal: To follow my command.

 

''Well..Hiro Hamada..enjoy your last minute of individuality.'' She said. Then Violet Green turned around, opening the door, letting one of her special doctors enter. With head raised high and a triumphant look in her eyes she spoke to the guard standing next to the door. Keeping the wrong people from either entering or exiting the door. ''Would you kindly bring subject FO2015 to my special room, when his last modifications are finished? There where the other one is hanging?'' She asked sweetly. ''Yes, madam!'' The guard answered, straightening his back. Either from fear or from respect. It wasn't important to Violet Green. 

 

''Very good'' She expressed. ''Please chain him against the wall on the opposite direction. I don't want my toys to start with the final stage of the project without me. Their creator.''

 

''Yes, madam!'' He answered again, bowing his head down.

 

Violet Green smiled. Now nothing could stop her. She held the reins.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

Steven Heartnet awoke with an aching pain in his head. He was sitting on a chair, with his arms tied behind his back. He sat in front of a big dark glass window. Next to the glass window  
stood a woman in her thirties. She was dressed in a white lab coat. Her hair was bound tightly in a bun. Right next to her stood the twins Jeff and Simon Scofield. Like always dressed in dark gray customs. The blonde haired man tried to move his feet, but he had to face the fact that he couldn't move his feet, too. A pity. They were also tied on the chair on which he was currently sitting on.

 

''Ah! Finally awake! How convenient! How are feeling Mr. Heartnet?'' With a swift motion, Violet Green turned herself around. An amused smile decorated her lips, her eyes trailed around the sickly pale skin of Steven Heartnet. ''I hope Mr. and Mr. Scofield here weren't too rough with you ? I especially ordered them not to cause any harm to each of your body parts. I don't want to hurt my dear guest.'' She declared. 

 

''Do you usually tie your guests to a chair?'' The blonde haired man asked dryly. 

 

''Well...why not? I just want to make sure you feel comfortable on this little chair. And I'll need you to fully watch the show'' The snake-like woman stated, before she turned her attention back to the twin brothers. ''Very good work gentlemen. Here is your reward.'' Violet Green handed them a silver briefcase, undoubtedly filled with much money bills.

 

'' As for your second reward, which you earned yourself fully by the way, for fulfilling my task correctly....you have to wait a little...Mr Heartnet and you both can have your heart to heart talk when we're finished. In the meantime, I would ask you kindly to leave this room and to tell the guard to bring Amanda Johnson in'' The green eyed woman mentioned. The twins nodded. As they left the room, Jeff Scofield turned around and made a quick motion with his hand. A motion which told Steven indirectly that he wouldn't survive this ''heart to heart''-talk. 

 

His arms began to tremble. Instead of feeling happy with being alive, he felt dreadfulness expanding in his chest. If he wasn't dead yet, than Violet Green had found some means in which she could torture him. 

 

A terrifying thought shot through his brain. ''Where are they?! Did you capture them?! What did you do to them!'' Steven whole body shook. No. Oh no. He wanted to help them. He wanted to help the Hamada brothers, but instead of helping them, he might have led them into their misery. Into their downfall. '' Relax Mr. Heartnet. All in its proper time. But I have a good mood tonight. Yes. I indeed captured them. They straightly stepped into my trap. And as for their location...they are right behind this beautiful glass window'' 

 

With a long white gloved hand, she pointed at said window. ''And as for the question about what I did do to them...it would be proper to ask what I didn't do to them'' She smiled as she noticed how the shoulders of Steven Heartnet slumped forward, as if someone punched the air out of him.

 

''Are...are they..did...did..you?'' He expressed stuttering as terrifying pictures exploded behind his inner eye. ''Oh..Mr. Heartnet, don't worry. Rest assured. The Hamada brothers or should I say subject FO2015 and subject RA2015, are not dead'' Steven Heartnet relaxed a little. ''Yet'' She added suddenly, enjoying how his broad shoulders tensed after her words. ''What. are . you plotting?'' He asked through clenched teeth, trying to keep himself from throwing insult at her. He knew insults would only make matters worse. And as long as Hiro and Tadashi are alive. He could fight. He would fight. He could save them.

 

''Hmm? What I'm plotting? Oh well...Its better if I show you something first.'' She typed on a button on the little electric device in her ear. ''Let her in'' She demanded into the tiny microphone. A couple of seconds later, a blonde haired woman appeared in the room. Her foot steps had something mechanical and her expression, was expressionless. Except for the strange flickering in her eyes. In her pedicured hands, she held a clipboard. ''Stop.'' Violet stated. The blonde haired woman with the pedicured hands, stopped in her tracks. ''Introduce yourself.'' Violet Green ordered. '' Hello. My name is Amanda Johnson. I am the experimental result of the glorious goddess Violet Green. My task is to answer every wish of my creator.'' 

 

Her neutral tone echoed through the white tilted walls.

 

Steven gaped at her. What the hell was going on? What did Violet Green do to her? He knew her from his former times at the Cain Corporation. He never spoke to her directly, but he once saw her at the cafeteria. She had always been a lively woman, with a smile on her face. The Amanda Johnson which was standing in front of him, like the personal puppy dog from Violet Green, had- except for her manicured hands- nothing in common with the smiling Amanda Johnson, which were always joking with her college. ''Interesting, isn't it?'' Violet Green stepped up from behind.

 

''Isn't this amazing? All I had to do was to experiment a little with electromagnetic impulses, creating the opportunity to transfer them through skin contact. Through any material with which the human skin can come in contact. Of course, she isn't as strong as subject RA2015 or wields the same power of charming manipulation as subject FO2015, but she fulfills her deed.'' Violet Green whispered into his ear. Goosebumps ran over Steven's body. He tried to lean away from her as far as possible, but the chair, with which he was bound with, wouldn't let him.

 

''Amanda Johnson is now under my command. I am her creator. I am the absolute force which she'll have to submit for the rest of her pitiful life. Did you know that a man called Mr. Collins wanted to propose to her? He was the college with whom she always spent her afternoon break with...and guess what Mr. Heartnet? I ordered her to kill him. And she killed him with the nicely manicured hands of hers.''

 

''Without hesitation. Without struggle, she choked the life out of him, while he was too shocked to comprehend what was going on...ha.ha..ha~'' Violet Green laughed. ''You're a monster.'' Steven claimed. ''Nothing but a ruthless psycho, who enjoys watching to see others suffer'' 

 

''Enjoy watching to see others suffer? Well...your assumptions might be right. Yes , indeed I enjoy watching such things. The best part of all, you can see it in their eyes. You've certainly noticed the flickering in Amanda Johnson's eyes, didn't you? It means, she is still there somewhere. Trying to break free from my hold on her. But it's hopeless. She is nothing more but a prisoner inside her own head. Isn't this wonderful?..Well..you've said I enjoy watching people suffer. I'll tell you a secret: I enjoy having the absolute power over them too.'' The evil intention was already glinting in her poisonous green eyes.

 

''Miss Johnson, would you kindly hit yourself in the face with this clipboard of yours? Hard. Twenty-times?'' Violet Green grinned, parting her mouth revealing the razor sharp teeth of hers. A rhythmic thud filled the room. Horror-stricken, Steven could only look how Amanda Johnson began to hit herself with the clipboard. 

 

THUD. THUD.THUD.THUD

 

THUD.THUD. THUD. THUD.

 

THUD.THUD. THUD. THUD.

 

THUD.THUD. THUD. THUD.

 

THUD.THUD. THUD. THUD.

 

As Amanda Johnson was finished, her face was an unrecognizable deformed bloody mess. The red liquid was dripping down her neck and also present on her clipboard. Amanda Johnson stood there as if nothing happened. Her body, like it was frozen. Only the desperate fast flicker in her eyes, told Steven that the real Amanda Johnson was still there. Present. And experiencing horrible pain. '' Very good. You can go now, Miss Johnson and please, close the door behind you'' Violet Green stated with a proud tone in her voice. Amanda nodded. ''Yes, my creator'' She stated neutrally as she mechanically made her way out of the room. Closing the door behind her. Her footsteps left a little trail of blood wherever they came in contact with the floor.

 

''Now..Mr. Heartnet..imagine what I could order subject RA2015 and FO2015.... I know you certainly asked yourself already, why you are still in the land of living and not six feet under? Rotting away in my special basement? Well..revenge is sweet. And I adore to see not only physical pain, but also psychological. I want to show you, what you are responsible for till the moment you'll die. '' Violet Green typed three times on the dark window glass before her. A soft beeping sound filled the room, as the darkness emerged, continuously fading, exposing a white room, with two figures struggling wildly against the chains. Each one on the opposite of the room.

 

In terror, Steven Heartnet realized who this whitely dressed figures where. ''Hiro? Tadashi?'' He  
expressed disbelieved. Violet typed a fourth time on the window glass. Now the could hear all the roaring and growling sounds which sounded from the brothers throats. In every one of their movements, lay the viciousness of an animal hidden. ''Oh..no..'' Steven Heartnet expressed weakly. ''Oh yes...I figured out that one of the reason you decided to betray me and my intentions, lay in the fact that you wanted to save them. But instead of saving them, you led them straightly into my den. And allowed me to turn them into ..this''

 

As if to empathize her point Tadashi let out a loud angry growl. '' No..no..this can't be happening! What are you planning to them?'' Violet Green looked at him with a strange aura in her poisonous eyes. She tapped on her hearing device. Now her voice was able to sound in the white room, where both of the Hamada brothers were currently struggling against the chains. ''Subject RA2015 and subject FO2015..kill the person in front of you'' She smiled, as she pressed a button. The chains around Hiro and Tadashi opened. With mechanical footsteps they walked towards each other.

 

Steven screamed. 

 

''NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!''

 

~~~~~~~


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all:  
> A big thanks to all of you for not giving up on me :)  
> Finally, my health is almost completely restored. The last two months took a great toll on me and it was a struggle on its own. I'm really thankful to have such awesome human beings as ya all here on the dark side of the internet ;D The comments lifted me up and gave me the strength to move forward with my story. ( Here a special big warm fluffy THANKS to jimmywolfe -You are my sunshine, buddy ^^)
> 
> I may be a little rusty on the edges.... Grammar mistakes. Misspellings and typos came here altogether on chapter 25 and held a special meeting in the worst form of all, because I couldn't proof-read it, as much as I would like to have.^^°
> 
>  
> 
> *+~~~~Ah! BEFORE I FORGET= I WISH ALL OF YOU A SUPERFANTASTIC_GLORIOUS NEW YEAR!!~~ MAY ALL YOUR WONDERFUL WISHES COME TRUE!! STAY HEALTHY AND ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS!!!~~~+*
> 
> Well, I wish you fun with reading a new chapter of 'Both a sinner and a gentleman at heart' Kudos & Comments are an awesome invention~
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

\--------

 

Again they darted towards each other like vicious puppets. They were already fighting for half an hour but neither of them managed to land a hit. Their white hospital-like trousers and shirts made them effortlessly blend into the sickly bright tilted room. Faded chocolate brown eyes met bleached cinnamon orbs as subject FO2015 duck his head away from the incoming bandaged fist of subject RA2015. The younger male suddenly crouched down and used a foot sweep in order to knock his target off his feet. As if RA2015 sensed his intention, he took a quick step back, hindering his enemy from disturbing his balance, as he went back into his fighting stance. As if the smaller boy suspected this action, he changed his position in inhumanly speed, got up and attacked his target with a leg kick.

 

Again the same pattern. RA2015 dogged. Attacked. FO2015 dogged. Attacked. Steven Heartnet was still bound to Violet Green's chair and could only watch, helplessly, as the Hamada brothers followed her command and attacked each other with mechanical fierce. He wasn't sure if he should be glad or happy that neither of the Hamada brothers had managed to land a hit. A tape covered his mouth, because Violet Green got tired of his screaming after some time. The blonde man's heart kept beating wildly against its ribcage as he had to watch again how the brothers darted towards each other. Again. And again . And Again.

 

Violet Green enjoyed herself greatly. Watching the brothers who loved each other to death, fighting to death. However...something wasn't right. Even it they were fighting with all their might, they still didn't manage to injure their opponent. Blood. Pain. Desperation. She wanted to taste encircling panic through the massive glass window of hers. But instead of feeling like Caesar in the grand Colosseum, she felt like in the theater, watching a well rehearsed play. And not a ruthless murder. Their strengths matched on an equal level. *Maybe I should increase the signal's volume?* She asked herself looking at the electric neuronal loudspeaker device, integrated in the window.

 

*This way..it will be only a matter of time..before the play ends..and maybe I allow the winner a glimpse of his consciousness? Just a little bit? Only a little...enough for him, to realize what he has done?* Violet Green laughed coldly. The laugh sent an agonizing shiver down Steven's spine. Even if he wasn't able to read her mind, he subconsciously knew, she was planning something bad. Something immensely catastrophically bad. Steven tried again to wriggle himself out of his chains. the material was already scrubbing through his skin, piercing it, leaving little trails of blood behind.

 

With horror-stricken eyes the blonde man could only watch how the venomous snake pressed a few buttons on the screen on and leaned forward. Her white cloth bent over the microphone as she opened her ugly mouth. 

 

''Subject FO2015 KILL YOUR OLDER BROTHER TADASHI HAMADA!!!''

 

''Subject RA2015 MURDER YOUR YOUNGER BROTHER HIRO HAMADA!!!'' 

 

Her loud voice pierced through Steven's skull, like a chainsaw. The vibrations of her voice swept through the whole room, in which Tadashi and Hiro were still fighting. The volume was so loud, it reverberated through the walls, causing them to move on it's own. Vibrating against Tadashi's and Hiro's bare feet. The sound was so enormously strong that both brother's staggered and fell to the floor. Both covered their ears as the order was tattooed scrupulously in their brains. Their bodies trembled as if they fought an invisible enemy. Nausea and the unyieldingly desire to fulfill the command, twisted through their mind's and cursed through core.

 

Both got up to their feet brown eyes almost as pale as the ceiling. Shoulders crouched down. Hands unfolding into claws. Mouths showing their teeth. Snarls erupting from throats as they darted towards each other uncompromising feral screams. Movements, without structure, dangerous, alarmingly hazardous. Violet Green laughed in delight as subject RA2015 punched almost a hole in the wall, in the process of hitting subject FO2015 in the face. The smaller subject used the opportunity and clawed at the athletic arm near his head, leaving scratch marks behind. Subject yelped in pain.

 

The sound caught subject FO2015 off guard. It rattled through his mind. For one second he was at loss for what to do. And this second was enough for the older experiments foot to sent him flying. The back of his head hit the wall with an audible blow. The younger male whimpered in agony, before he jumped out of arms-reach, avoiding the next hit flying in his direction. With destructive animalistic blood-thirst, Hiro Hamada threw his whole body weight at his target, punching him in the face with a ruthless strength, which sent his opponent to  
the ground. 

 

;;;kill;;;

 

;;KILL;;;

 

;;;KILL;;; 

 

Subject FO2015 stood looming over him and hit him in his stomach with his foot. Tadashi Hamada screamed.

 

Once again the sound caused a mysterious strange nausea to sweep through the younger subjects mind. Hiro took a step back and held his head. 

;;;kill HIM;;  
;;KILL hIm;;

;;kILL HiM;;;

*kill?*

A strange nausea flooded his nervous system. A sudden darkness clouded his eyes, plunging the white tilted room in total darkness. Swallowing this vicious blood-lust, separating his unfree uncontrollable body from his clouded mind, sending his consciousness somewhere else while his body remained, still fighting.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was dark. Hiro couldn't move. He was sitting in a cage and chained to the metal of the surface. His body seemed to be caught in a whole different kind of paralyzed state. Like it had been with his last conversation with Violet Green. In front of him..there was some kind of screen. Flickering. Pictures, moving. Somehow he knew that he was moving. At least his body was. Attacking and Ducking. Jumping to the side. Turning left. Then to right. Hands forming into fists, trying to collide with a seemingly iron strong wall. But these movements. His movements. He couldn't feel any of them. It was a strange sensation, like somebody cut the threads which connected him to his body and some stranger was pulling the threads.

 

This realization alone made the pitch black fear in the corner of his mind grow rapidly stronger. It felt like a bystander, observing an accident from afar. The opponent, which Hiro's body was currently fighting was plunged in shadows. The shadows moved every-time, his opponent moved, therefore Hiro couldn't make out his face. Darkness kept swirling around him and made him appear like the boogieman, giving him a threatening appearance.

 

;;;;kill;;;;; ;;;;kill;;; ;;;;;kill;;; ;;;;;;kill;;; ;;;kill;;;;; ;;;kill;;;;;

A soulless pulsating cold voice whispered from the metal cage, straightly into Hiro's ear. 

 

*Kill....kill who?*

The younger Hamada asked hesitantly, unsure what to do with such a comment. Something in him didn't want to kill. His mind was in crumbled. Shattered in pieces like glass. And the waves of nausea seemed to drift the broken pieces further and further away, leaving him disoriented and forsaken. And lost.

 

;;;;kill;;;; ;;;;kill;;; ;;;kill;;;; ;;;;;kill;;;;; ;;;;;kill;;;; ;;kill;;;;

The soulless voice demanded unforgivingly.

 

*Kill....? Why...?*

Hiro questioned. Looking at the screen. Eyes following the boogieman's blurry movements. Certainly, he looked kind threatening and he kept attacking him restlessly. However, Hiro saw how his body kept attacking him too. Why killing him? Why is it so important to the-

 

;;;;KILL;;;; ;;;;KILL;;; ;;;KILL!!;;; ;;KILL!!;; ;;KILL;; ;;KILL!!;; ;;;;KILL!!!;;; ;;;;KILL!!!;;;

The soulless voice ordered mercilessly as it reverberated through the shackles on his hands and legs. The sound, echoing through the cage, hammering scrupulously holes into his consciousness. Mixing right and wrong. Turning attributes and believes against each other, leaving Hiro lost inside his own thoughts.

 

*Kill* *Kill* *Kill* *kill* *kill* *kill* *kill* *kill* *kill*

Glassy, the younger Hamada stared at the monitor, like he was caught in a trance. Watching how his body moved on its own and attacked the boogieman with even more blood-lust then before.

 

§...NOOOO!!...§ § DON'T DO IT!!!§ 

Suddenly screamed a strangely familiar sugar coated voice right next to him. Ripping the younger Hamada out of his trance-like state for a moment. Hiro couldn't make out the owner of this voice, but it sounded like the person was also chained to the cold walls of the cage like him. But to a dark corner. Hiro could only see the silhouette of the owner.

 

*No?* *Why?* *Why not?* He asked confused, as he squeezed his eyes tighter together in order to see the person in the corner more clearly. 

 

§...Your most important person.... is the one..... you have to kill...§ The sugar coated voice replied weakly after letting out a pitiful cough.

 

* My...my most important person?* *Who?The boogieman?* *.......And who are..... you?* The younger Hamada, his puzzled mind tried to collect the pieces together which tried to drift away.

 

;;;Kill!;;; ;;;KILLL;;; ;;;kill;;; ;;;Kill;;; ;;;KILL;;; ;;;kill;;; ;;;;KILL!!!;;; The soulless cold and calculating voice demanded again. But this time, Hiro didn't let it in his mind. The sugar coated voice triggered something in him. Maybe a memory? A memory about the boogieman in front of him? The silhouette's words functioned like a shield. A barrier between the hammering vibration of the shackles, hindering the puppet master from crawling into Hiro's mind. 

 

;;;kill;; ;;KILL him already!;;; ;KILL;;; ;;kill;;;;; ;;;Kill;;; ;;;KILL!!;;;

 

However the shattered pieces, drifting through Hiro's brain didn't listen to the order. 

 

*NO!* *This..person...* *Who is this person?* Hiro asked the chained silhouette.

 

§....In front of you!...§ § He is your everything..§ §..Your strength and weakness at the same time..§ The sugar coated voice replied faintly.

 

*...But I-....I cant see clearly...* * All I see is this swirling black mass in front of him*

 

;;;;;;Attack;;;;;; ;;;;ATTACK;;;; ;;;attack;;;; attack;;; ;;;attack!!;;; Cold calculating voice hammered through his mind.

 

§..Don’t! § § Please don't! § §..Don't do that!§ 

 

Hiro felt like his brain was torn into two pieces. Like two forces fought over the control in his consciousness and he was the one sitting chained in-between while he felt like he was ripped into two halves. *Don’t...don't what?* He questioned, slowly losing his stability.

§..Don't attack! § The sugar coated voice called out with a serious tone.

 

*Why?* * And why should I trust you?* * I can't even see you properly!* The younger Hamada said into the direction of the dark corner.

 

§...Don’t you see?..§ §...why...you're hurting him...§ §..But maybe you're right. In order to trust me, you must look me in the eyes.§ The figure shifted. And Hiro inhaled shortly as he faced a boy with fluffy big hair and big brown eyes. Starring back at him. Shivering and fighting against the shackles on his hands and feet. It felt like he looked at a mirror. His reflection in front of him. But...this couldn't be him...or could it? There was something familiar in the way he moved and the way he spoke. But something was missing..there was no wickedness in this tone. No teasing. No empty promises and lies. The voice sounded terrified, downright to the bones. Eyes, once filled with mischief, were now filled with regret.

 

* Fox?* Could it be? Why was he there? Why was the creature, who was the reason behind all this pain trapped inside this cage with him? Could this be real? Or is he already dead? And...if the creature wasn't the one controlling his body currently? Who used his body like a fighting toy?

*..Why..? Why should I even listen to you? After everything..every..pain and sadness you've caused!! What you did to me and to- to...to who?* Confused, Hiro turned his head to the side. Who was the person that he wanted to mention? Was is someone important? Strange..the anger of the presence was there...but it felt like an important piece of information was missing.

§..I'm ..I'm sorry. I didn't want for all this to happen. I know, it may sound sappy, but I only wanted your happiness. I couldn't watch any longer how much you sacrificed, how hard you tried to stay away from something, which you deeply loved...I may be triggered be a venomous snake's experiment, but I was a part of you, long before that...that is the reason why we're tide up here together Hiro..as long as you don't accept me..we don't have enough strength to fight against this murderous woman...the strength to save Tadashi ....§ The person replied, wearing Hiro's face. The fox looked pale and seemed to have problems to keep his eyes open.

* Tadashi?..Who is Tadashi? Is this person important to you?* Hiro asked, hesitantly. Somehow he couldn't feel angry at the miserable person in front of him. And besides, he couldn't be that bad if he cared for another human being.

§..Oh..no..please...Hiro..don't you remember him?§ The fox ripped his eyes open and drew in a shaky breath. § All of this is even more serious than I assumed...§ The fox said to himself, still trying to wriggle himself free, to set them both free. §..Hiro you need to listen to me now..you have to look at the screen..the person...the person who is very important to you..he is right in front of you..you have to accept me as a part of you in order to- ARGHH!!

Out of nowhere, the shackles wrapped themselves tighter around the foxes body and the sound of electricity filled the cold dark cage mixed with the painful screams of Hiro's former enemy.

* Fox? * The younger Hamada asked silently, shuddering at the pitiful sounds of his own throat. * Fox?!* He asked again, but the chained figure remained motionless. Oh no...was he? could he be?

;;;KILL;;; ;;;KILL;;; ;;KILL;;; ;;KILL;;; ;;;; KILL;;;; ;;;;;KILL,;;;; ;;;;YOU DON't NEED HIM EITHER;;;; ;;;;YOU JUST HAVE TO KILL;;; ;;;MURDER;;; ;;;;;;;;ELIMINATE THE TARGET HIRO;;;;;; ;;ELIMINATE;;;; ;;;HE IS THE ENEMY;;;;; The soulless voice chanted destructively and noxious, causing the cage to vibrate with each syllable, reverberating through the shackles on Hiro's arms and legs. Sawing its way into Hiro's core like a chainsaw. The stinging pain was almost unbearable. It felt like he was being ripped apart. Molecule by molecule. 

*..he ...is ..the enemy..? * The pain stricken boy flickered his eyes at the direction of the screen. Fixating them onto the blurry figure in front of him which seemed to be menacingly looking at him. Mocking him even. * The enemy...* The stinging pain of the vibrations lessened. * Target...* The pain became less stinging. * Eliminate* Less pulsating. *Kill* Less mind tearing. The metallic cage seemed to lose its static form bit by bit. Becoming ice cold fluid like black water, wrapping Hiro in their dreadful embrace. Wrapping itself tighter and tighter around his body. Around his mouth. Covering his eyes. Making him unable to Gulping him down like a snack. And it seemed like all traces of Hiro Hamada vanished.

 

\----------------  
'' Ah!~ It seems like, now does the real fun begin.'' Violet Green snickered as she saw how the younger Hamada's fighting style became more aggressive and vicious than before. With an inhuman growl his clenched fist met the older Hamada's stomach with an agonizing crushing sound. The impact was so strong that subject RA2015 was thrown back, but he landed quickly on his feet again and wiped the blood of his mouth away, starting to fall down his lips.

 

''HMMpf!!! Hnghh!!! Hmifo!!!! Mhfimafi!!!!!'' Steven Heartnet's desperate screams were muffled by the cloth, bound tightly around his mouth. With fear stricken eyes he looked at the death match in front of him. If there was something. He needed to do something or-or...

 

At the right moment, Hiro was slammed on the ground. An audible crack resonated throughout the loudspeakers. * No just no..that couldn't be.* Subject RA2015 hovered above his foe and looked him in the eye as he kicked at his right hand. An audible crack resonated throughout the white tilted room and subject FO2015 opened his mouth and screamed.

 

* Kill* *Eliminate enemy* * But dark it's so dark* * NO mercy* *kill* * But its cold, so cold* * murder* * murder him* *No* * KILL* *I'm scared* * Fight* * It hurts* * FIGHT* * MURDER* *KILL* * OBEY* * NO* * I don't-* * Don't want to-* *NO...NO-

 

*Help me*

;;;;OBEY;;;;;OBEY;;;KILL;;;;ELIMINATE;;;;;

 

As subject lay on the ground and screamed while subject RA2015 covered his own ears in order not to hear the mind shattering disaster, coming out of the enemy's mouth. Despite to the effort of the soulless puppet master, a part of Hiro was still there. Hidden in the black thick mask which blinded his sight and left him motion and soundless. But he kept struggling.

 

* It hurts* * IT HURTS* * SOMEONE....please..SOMEONE.....HELP ME!!!!!!!*** Hiro thought as he felt how the black darkness tried to swallow him whole. He managed to free a hand and reached out in complete darkness. For a hand. For something. Or someone , who will help him to pull him out. But as his weak hand moved forward, it reached absolutely nothing. The swirling panic trashing around in Hiro's consciousness increased. ;;;;NO one will help you;;;;you're alone;;;and no one will save you;;;;obey;;;;KILL Hiro;;;; you have to follow orders;;;;

 

* Hiro?* * Who is Hiro?* * Where am I?!* * Who am I ...?* The younger Hamada grew weaker and weaker his outstretched hand remained empty. He closed his eyes.

 

The soulless mechanic voice laughed.

 

Out of the darkness, a scent invaded the fluid cage and pierced through Hiro's nose.

 

Mint.

 

Mint mixed with lemons.

 

* What is this?*

 

* A scent?*

 

* Whose scent?*

 

Home.

 

Comfortable.

 

Secure.

 

Warm.

 

Light.

 

*Where...*

 

* Where...*

 

§..find the light.....§

 

*...I can't..its dark..I can't move...*

 

§..you don't need to see..or to move..in order to find...§

 

*..Find...what...the light?...the warmth...where...*

 

§..wake up...§

 

* I'm not sleeping...*

 

§..wake up...§

 

* I can't..*

 

§...you can...knucklehead..§

 

The memories exploded inside him like one trillion fireworks. Knucklehead..a nickname always used by his most important person. A baseball cap. Warm big hands. Embraces. Promises. Cinnamon brown eyes. A bright and gentle smile....Tadashi..his, Hiro Hamada's most important person.

 

Hiro ripped his eyes open and ripped the shadows to shreds, which were circling him. Tearing each of them apart.

;; NO YOU DON'T;;;;;;; The shadows were suddenly right there. In front of him again, circling themselves around his wrists and pumping breath stopping electricity through his veins.

 

;; You can't escape;;;;I won't allow it!!!;;;;;He that will not hear must feel;;;;;;; 

 

Each new spark burned Hiro's insides to aches. But he didn't want to give up. With his last strength, he reached out in the dark and called out * FOX, I accept you as a part of me!!*  
As he spoke those words, he felt like a new strength rushed through his whole being. The soulless puppet master screamed in bitter defeat as he was driven away by the bundled strength of Hiro and his other side. 

 

Suddenly, it was very bright. Like somebody pulled a light switch on. He felt stronger and much faster. And the best was...his persistent headache was gone and vanished from the depths of his consciousness. White..everything was white Hiro blinked and jumped to the left at the right moment, when a fist came flying in his direction. He rolled himself around and stabilized his body as he put his fist in front of him, ready to take on his attacker. As he clenched his right hand a stark pain wandered from his fingertips to his elbow. Broken. He couldn't use this hand anymore. Nevertheless, he wouldn't let them get him. He would fight.

 

But the person standing in front of him, wasn't one of Violet Green's pitiful guards. It was Tadashi. Dressed completely in white, morphing with the room. Eyes sickly pale and he looked like through him as a growl arisen from his throat and he threw himself towards Hiro with the intend to kill.

 

Once again, if it weren't for Hiro's newly found reflexes, his head would end up smashed against the wall. '' Tadashi? Tadashi?! Do you hear me?! It's me!! Hiro!! You have to stop!! This isn't you! You are being controlled by Violet Green, you have to wake up!!'' He screamed as he ducked once again, avoiding a kick at his stomach. However his words didn't seem to have any impact on the older Hamada or on subject RA2015. Hiro wasn't sure if the person in front of him, was his brother or already lost in the fangs of Violet Green's evil plans. It hurt to think that Tadashi is gone. He had to find a way to wake him up.

 

§...But in order to achieve that you'll have to think of your own safety first§

 

* I'll never thought that I would say that , but I rely on you*

 

§..Roger that§

 

While the fox helped Hiro to avoid Tadashi's punches, his eyes tracked the room in which they were currently fighting in. Searching for clues. For something which might help him to find a solution to this mess. No door. Of course. Shackles on the walls. Hiro bit his upper lip. How could she dare to do such a thing!! Wait. While I was tied down to this stupid bed, she told me this little story of hers and her plan..her plan to observe the dreadful face of the one sibling which killed the other...that means* Hiro let his eyes wander around the white tilted room. But there were no signs of security cameras in front of him. But loudspeakers. Two white round things were placed in front of the large mirror on his left...so where is the camera...wait.. Unless the camera isn't a camera, but an observing device. Some kind of window, which allows the poisonous snake to observe each one of there movements. Greedily sucking all of their misery in

 

But she wasn't his first priority now. Hiro ducked again, throwing his body to the right, hissing as he fell on his broken right arm. The person in front of him, didn't seem to resemble his Tadashi at all. The baseball cap was gone from his head. And bruises and blood covered his face. The white trousers and shirt, made his skin glow in an unhealthily white color. Part of his white appearance was covered in blood. But the expression of his face, was something which shocked Hiro to his bones. Lifeless. Ruthless. Blood-thirsty and unforgiving. All the things, Tadashi wasn't at all.

 

''TADASHI?! TADASHI..please..can you hear me?! It's me Hiro!! Please..wake up!!'' The younger Hamada screamed but Tadashi didn't seem to be fazed at all. He kept throwing punches in his direction. But the punches didn't hurt as much as the expression of hate engraved on the gentle and caring face of his older brother. Hiro didn't give up. He managed to gain victory over the powerful soulless voice and he knew deep down, Tadashi could do it to. So he kept on screaming and ducking. Hoping that somehow his voice will manage to reach him.

 

''He isn't there..foolish boy!'' The cold and calculated voice of Violet Green waved through the tiny round loudspeakers on his left. A shudder went through Hiro's core but he kept avoiding the attacks and concentrated himself on Tadashi and not on his itching desire to smash the stupidly large mirror into little tiny pieces and use the splitter to slice her voice organ out of her  
ugly throat. 

 

''You're beloved big brother Tadashi Hamada is gone!!! And you can't do anything to bring him back!! Don't you see? He is almost like my best perfectly trained guard dog..you can't do anything! But I must say that I seemed to underestimated you..Hiro Hamada. You're the first experiment who managed to escape my control...When you stay alive, I'll promise we will spent so much more interesting and mind-blowing time together...hahaha~ I hope you understood my pun? Well, it seems that I bore you with my speech..maybe I shall increase the volume of my loudspeaker one level higher?''

 

'' DON'T YOU DARE YOU FUCKING BITCH FROM HELL!! GOD? You are and will not be a god, you hear me, you filthy snake?! The ONLY thing which you become is a pile of broken bones when I get my hands on you!!'' Outraged Hiro screamed at the direction of the large mirror. And for a moment he forgot that he had still to take care of a manipulated and very aggressive big brother of. Luckily, he managed to turn his head in the last second away and avoided his brain from being smashed into little tiny pieces.

 

''How. DARE. you. to. speak to me like that....'' Violet Green's voice became an unimaginable ounce colder. A sense of foreboding took a hold on Hiro. * Oh no* 

 

''SUBJECT RA2015 DESTROY YOUR LITTLE BROTHER!! TEAR HIM APART!!! KILL HIM!! MURDER HIM!! I, YOUR GOD COMMAND YOU KILL, MURDER, ELIMINATE!!!''' The cold woman screamed mind-tearingly into the microphone, the sound doubling and tripling throughout the round loudspeakers on the left and right side from the large mirror. Almost shattering Hiro's internal auditory canal. It was so loud that it swept him off his feet. Next to him, he felt like his big brother hit the ground and curled himself into a tiny form, shaking and quivering. His older brother was now also hearing gruesome things, which the younger Hamada heard as he also was influenced by the soulless voice in his head. And the worst thing was: Violet Green's voice did keep to swap through the room like an unnerving never ending nightmare.

 

Hiro could only imagine what Tadashi was going through right now. The sound tried to rob him out of his senses, but luckily he had the fox by his side who shielded him and kept him save from the powerful attack of the sequences. Shaking, Hiro got up to his feet. Eyes widening as his older brother suddenly was right in front of him and sent him to the ground. ''Tadashi! WAKE UP!! It's me!! Please!!'' The younger Hamada screamed.

 

''Eliminate.'' Tadashi threw a punch at him. '' Destroy'' Another punch came flying towards him.  
''Kill'' The words sounded very surreal, coming out of his brothers mouth. Using his voice in order to say such horrific things. Hiro had managed to avoid the punches, but he was still lying on the ground, unable to get up, because the punches kept flying relentlessly towards his direction. '' Tadashi, please !!! Listen to me!!'' He shouted as he maneuvered his body to the right and again to the left, avoiding the possible deadly hits.

 

It wasn't pointless. Hiro knew it. Deep down. Somehow, he heard him. Hiro was sure of it. Tadashi was still there. He only need to try harder. He only needed to be stronger. To act faster. ''Tadashi!! Wake up!! Please!! I know you're in there! And I know, you're scared! You feel like your mind is starting to drift apart and maybe your already losing all of your memories, but you need to listen..I'm by you side ! I always be! Even if...even if you think that you are a monster or that you're losing your mind! Like you are always there for me...I want to be there for you too!!! Please count on me and fight!!! Fight against this soulless voice in your mind, Tadashi!!! Please!! I NEED YOU RIGHT NOW!!!'' The younger Hamada voiced, as he rolled to the right and quickly got on his feet.

 

There! There it was! Hiro was sure of it! There! Just for a second, something sparked in the sickly white brown orbs of his older brother and for a tiny moment, he stopped in his tracks. Violet Green's furious screeches were whipping through the room. '' WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! KILL. ELIMATE. DESTROY. SQUUEZE THE LIFE OUT OF HIM LIKE I DID IT WITH MY YOUNGER SISTER!!!'' 

 

Tadashi fell to the ground and held his ears. '' DESTROY. KILL. MURDER. ELIMINATE!!!'' Violet Green screeched again. Adding a few octaves in her tone. With mechanical movements Tadashi got up again. His eyes were wide open and the cinnamon brown color, which Hiro adored so much seemed to fight a battle with the sickly white experiment-induced color. Slowly, the older Hamada turned his body to the direction of his younger brother. '' H..Hiro....kill..no...eliminate...no...'' Faintly, Tadashi whispered as his body took another step to the direction of the younger male.

 

''Tadashi, you can do it!! I know it!! Please fight!! I know you are in there! And you are stronger than this ugly snake!! You just have to accept the part of you, which I accepted long time ago..'' Hopefully, Hiro began to walk to his brother. Hands automatically stretched out. Reaching for an embrace.

''H...H...Hi..Hiro..'' Tadashi tried to pronounce.

 

'' I'M ORDERING YOU, KILL YOUR BROTHER!!!!!!!!!''' Violet Green's voice whipped through the room like a hurricane.

 

Tadashi stumbled, but regained his balance again. His bruised body was shaking as he looked Hiro in the eyes and whispered ''Run''

 

The younger Hamada was unable to do anything than just to stand in the middle of the white tilted room as his brother surged forward with a growl. His stance aggressive, but his eyes..his eyes were looking at him, sad. Hiro knew he had no choice. He couldn't fight his brother again, when he was almost back. He decided against his inner instincts and let Tadashi punch him to the white wall. A painful gasp escaped Hiro's mouth as the back of his head met the hard surface. The younger Hamada could taste the blood in his mouth. 

 

'' PERFECT! JUST LIKE THAT SUBJECT RA2015!! NOW PUT YOUR HANDS AROUND HIS THROAT AND SQUUEZE THE LIFE OUT OF HIM!!!'' Violet Green ordered, her voice, a disaster sweeping and trashing through Tadashi's mind. The older Hamada held his younger brother, pushed to a wall. His body was trembling and his bandaged hands were shaking as he let his hands wander up to Hiro's throat. Cinnamon brown eyes were filled with tears. 

 

''No...no...I..don't...no..H..Hiro...run...'' He whispered as his hands closed themselves around the silky throat of his younger brother. ''..I won't..'' Hiro answered softly. ''Pl..please..Hi..ro..I don't....don't..want..to...want to..hurt you'' The younger Hamada only looked at him. ''You won't...'' A small smile forming on his lips, despite of the increasing pressure around his neck.  
''H..Hi..ro..ple..please... don't...run....'' Tadashi faintly whispered. Panic was painted on his face mixed with desperation and fear. He, the one, swearing to protect his life was now the one ending it.

 

Hiro's most important person was killing him slowly. Hands, which always had ruffled gently through his hair. The hands, which had always embraced him and helped him build new inventions and robots. Hands, which had always kept him safe. These hands were now used  
cause him gravely harm.

 

* Fox..I..need..a bit of your strength one more time...* 

 

§ I hope you know what you're doing §

 

Energy cursed through Hiro's veins. This was his last chance. But instead of using it in order to break free, he leaned forward and used the strength to pull Tadashi closer to him. He dragged him closer. Terrified and sad cinnamon orbs were looking at trusting and loving chocolate brown eyes. ''I...I...know.... its hard...but I..I'm not..giving... up... on.. you...Ta..dashi...becau..because...you... are.. my.. everything...ngh... ..I..lo...love....yo...you...'' By the end of the sentences Hiro put his hands on Tadashi's face and kissed him softly. 

 

Then he bestow him...with one last smile as his eyes fell shut and his breathing stopped.

 

''AARGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!! NOOOO!!!!! HIRO!!!'' Tadashi vastly unclenched his hands around Hiro's neck. His heart dropped into his gut at the realization of what just had occured.The body of his little brother almost hit the ground, if it weren't for Tadashi's hands preventing him from the fall. ''What have I done..? Hiro? HIRO?!! WAKE UP!!! PLEASE !! No..NO..NOO you can't be dead!!'' Please!! Wake up!! Come back !!!! Please....I ...I..love you so much...'' Tadashi cupped Hiro's face with his hand. Suddenly, he remembered a CPR-lesson from school. He ripped his shirt off his torso and put it under Hiro's head.

 

'' WHAT ARE YOU DOING SUBJECT2015?!!! STOP IT!!! I COMMAND YOU!!!'' Violet Green screeched outraged. However, Tadashi didn't react. His whole being was focused on the person lying in front on the ground. His world. His everything, which he almost destroyed. There was no one. And there will be nothing more important than his little brother ever again.  
Not some He positioned his hands on Hiro's light chest and started to pump his heart in a stable rhythm. ''Come on..Hiro..please..please..come back...please come back to me..''. 

 

The younger Hamada didn't open his eyes. No it wasn't too late. Oxygen..Hiro needed oxygen...the older Hamada added a little pressure, took a deep breath, opened Hiro's mouth slightly and pushed his collected air into his little brother's mouth while he kept desperately trying to reanimate him. ''Please..please..please...Hiro..please ...PLEASE!!!'' Salty tears were streaming out of Tadashi's eyes as he kept on trying, bringing his brother back to life.

 

'' hiro..Hiro...Hiro..please...Hiro..don't leave me...stay by me side....Hiro..please..I love you so much...so much please..'' No reaction. Uncontrollably sobbing, Tadashi broke down onto Hiro's chest. '' Hiro..please.....don't leave me...stay...stay..by ...my..side...Hiro..please....please...without you...I ....I-'' The sobbing turned convulsive. 

 

Thump. Thump.

 

Tadashi ripped his eyes wide open. His ears couldn't have imagined the sweetest sound a heartbeat ever made in the history. Tadashi's world stood still. Hope mixed up with fear as he looked at the bruised but still beautiful face of his younger brother. '' H...Hi...Hiro?'' He asked hoarsely, fearing that he only imagined the sound coming from Hiro's ribcage.

 

''Ta...Ta..dashi..?'' Hiro croaked as he opened his eyes. His vision was blurry at first, but it cleared after a few seconds. He was relived to see the face of his older brother next to him, whose eyes were red and puffy from crying. ''H..Hiro..I'm so glad..you're....you're back..I ..I how could ..I even do this...to my most precious person...I ...I...'' Tadashi placed his head on the ground as if he begged Hiro for forgiveness. Forgiveness for something which wasn't his fault. *Some things never change* Hiro thought smiling as he placed his healthy hand onto Tadashi's head and ruffled through his hair.

 

His older brother slowly sat up and deliberately and gently took Hiro in his arms, placing his warm bandaged hand, on Hiro's fluffy ebony colored hair and rocking them carefully back and forth. ''I'm glad, you're..back..nerd'' Hiro stated weakly against the bruised and bloody chest, before he let out a various number of coughs. ''Ouch'' He expressed as he lay his hand on his sore throat, where a dark purple line had formed, stark visibly in contrast to his creamy silky skin. 

 

''Hey...don't even think about saying its your fault again, because.... it isn't, big dork...'' Hiro smiled lightly at him, before his eyes turned dark ''...but we both know, whose it is'' With a swift motion of his head Hiro pointed at the large mirror in front of them, where Violet Green still believed that she held the reins. 

 

'' WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! Kill him! Kill! I command! I order you! Her screeching voice sounded pathetic in Hiro's ears. He couldn't believe how much pain and grief it had managed to produce. ''Tadashi..I know you are more of a pacifist type of person, but wouldn't it be pretty awesome to give this nasty person back, what she deserves?'' The younger Hamada stated and grinned at his older brother, who nodded slowly. '' Somehow..I think..I changed my mind about being a pacifist. It seems way too old-fashioned now and I think this heartless bitch deserves a non-pacifistic lesson'' The older Hamada answered fiercely.

 

''My..my....there goes the money for the swear jar'' Hiro snickered as he slowly stood up. Picking the Tadashi's shirt from the ground, which the older Hamada had used as a cushion for Hiro's head. Without mercy Hiro ripped the shirt in two halves and bound each one carefully around the already bandaged hands of his older brother. Hiro's movements were mellow and tender. He placed a small kiss on the two knuckles on Tadashi's bruised hand. ''I'm sorry that I'm using your gentle hands for something destructive again'' Hiro mumbled. ''But I know, that I'm currently lacking the power of shattering bullet-proof PSx glass.

 

'' Don't worry Hiro...with you by my side, it'll always seem like I'm destroying to protect'' Tadashi smiled softly at him and leaned down in order to place a soft kiss on Hiro's forehead.  
'' I think, it would be a little better, if you took a few steps back'' He whispered against the bloody yet sweet-spicy scent of his younger brother. ''Roger that'' Hiro answered with a smile of his own and took a few steps back.

 

''I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!! SUBJECT RA2015!! DESTROY!!! ELIMINATE!!! LISTEN TO THE COMMAND OF YOUR GOD!!!'' Violet shrieked and manically  
slammed down the buttons in front of her, causing the whole white tilted room behind the glass wall to vibrate. But her soulless voice didn't reach any one of the Hamada brothers anymore. With a determined look in his eyes, Tadashi dashed out, fists already vibrating readily, as he pushed them forward and broke the wall with two powerful and precise full swings from his hands. The glass formed to a million spider webs, before it collapsed, shattering in thousand pieces, revealing the hidden room behind.

 

Before Violet Green could even think about escaping, the older Hamada was already there. Filling his mind with all the pain, sadness and fear from the last days and smashed them against Violet Green. She fell to the ground into tiny pieces of glass, which dug greedily in her skin, causing it to tear and to bleed. Painting her white lab coat in a bloody red. She wasn't dead...yet. Only unconscious.

 

'' Mmmpfhh!! Hmpf!'' Steven Heartnet tried to say something but his voice was muffled by the strongly bound cloth against his mouth. ''Steven!'' Hiro expressed. '' Wait.. I'll free you off this shackles.'' Hiro wanted to take a step into the glass splinter filled room, but Tadashi prevented him from doing so. '' No, Hiro. It's too dangerous and you can slash the skin on your feet, if you step into this room. I'll free Steven'' He declared as he turned around and ripped the chains on Steven's arms and feet.

 

The tall blonde man took the cloth vastly off his mouth. His eyes looked red, as if he was crying and he had two cuts under his right eye. Probably from the broken glass mirror wall. ''Hiro! Tadashi! I'm so glad you're both safe!'' His ocean blue eyes sparkled as he surged forward and embraced Tadashi and then turned around and stepped into the white tilted room to pull Hiro in a hug. '' I didn't thought that I could see you both again!'' He expressed happily, water started to fill his eyes again.

 

''We're glad to see you alive, too'' Hiro stated smiling. Before his eyes wandered down, tracing  
down the seemingly motionless bloody lying creature on the ground. He never felt so much hatred towards a person in his whole life. And there had been times. Times! The time! ''Steven, I'm sorry to interrupt our happy reunion, but how many access points did you manage to hack before they captured you?'' The younger Hamada asked, a new plan already forming in the back of his mind. Violet Green and her Cooperation would never hurt a human being again.

 

'' I think, I did successfully manage to invade all of the access points, which you pointed out a few days ago'' Steven mentioned, scratching his chin. '' Wait a minute, I have something to do before we get out of this damn room and search for the control panel.'' As the blond self-made guardian of the Hamada brother's spoke, he took a step back, enclosed the chair around his hands and smashed it on the lying body on the ground. An audible crack reverberated through the room. Something broke with a satisfying crack and new bruises and traces of blood started to appear on Violet Green's body. With himself in harmony, Steven put the chair deliberately in its original position and rubbed his hands. '' I never hit a woman in my life and I never plan to do it again soon. But this was the most satisfying feeling in my whole life'' Steven Heartnet expressed with a childish grin.

 

Hiro and Tadashi exchanged glances.'' And once again a pacifist, turned to the dark side, sponsored by the evil doings of Violet Green'' Hiro remarked snickering as Tadashi kneeled himself in front of him and turned around, indicating him to climb on his back. The younger Hamada felt like a small child but he didn't complain, because it was useless to discuss with Tadashi if it concerned Hiro's own safety. Therefore, he climbed to the back and pulled his healthy left arm around Tadashi's neck in order to stabilize himself. Even if he didn't like the thought of Tadashi hurting himself further, because of his weight, which will tear at the flesh of  
Tadashi's own skin.

 

''Before we go...Steven could you please look through the snake's pockets? The first time, i had met her personally, she had waved a gun at me...maybe she always keeps her gun with her?'' Hiro requested, while his mind was already working on the next possibilities. They needed to get to the control panel as unharmed as possible. The corridors, which they had passed on the way to Violet Green's office, were designed in a gutter like structure. A structure that might ending up helping them to hide. 

 

'' Jackpot! Hiro you were right. She even had two guns!'' Steven exclaimed excitedly, while he took a gun in his hand and gave the other one Hiro, because Tadashi was holding Hiro's legs. ''Perfect'' The younger Hamada expressed. '' I think now we're ready. I still have the construction plan before my inner eye, we have to go to the second floor, western wing. Room  
3F. And Steven? Be careful, when you open the door. There might still be some guards in front of it..Therefore it will be much more efficient, if we follow the 'First shot, than talk policy' ''  
The sixteen year old added, while he was surprised of himself that he didn't blink an eye at the thought of ending lives anymore.

 

Steven, Tadashi and Hiro positioned themselves left and right in front of the ugly white colored door. Silently, Hiro counted down from three to one. He nodded. ''Now!'' He shouted. Steven Heartnet pushed the door open and they caught the helmet men of guard, which were patrolling in front of the room. Without a chance to comprehend what's going on, they both fell, almost simultaneously to the ground, a surprised expressions painting their face. Blood trailing out of their freshly shot wounds. 

 

''Tadashi, you can put me down now. Thanks'' The younger Hamada said, as he climbed off the back of his older brother. As Hiro wanted to hand him the gun, Tadashi declined, pointed at his fists, demonstrating his younger brother that he'll need the weapon much more than him. ''Alright.'' Hiro turned his attention to the signature, next to the room, from which they escaped successfully. 

 

''We are now at the fourth floor...I think the best way to come down there unnoticed is to find the fire ladder and climb it down to the second floor'' The genius stated. Steven and Tadashi nodded. ''I think the fire ladder is in this direction'' The blonde man declared, pointing with his index finger to the right. 

 

The small group walked unfaltering and strong-willed at the direction of the fire-ladder. They started to run as they heard someone screaming behind them. It seemed like the somebody discovered the bodies, they had left behind. ''We have to hurry'' Hiro whispered. '' If we're not quickly enough a whole bunch more people than these guards would be standing in our way'' He added, eyes fixated on the goal right in front of them.

 

They reached the fire-escape-ladder and climbed down the stairs. Outside, the sun was already beginning to raise and neither Tadashi nor Hiro knew which day it was. They had better things to do. Blowing up the Cain Corporation, for example. The older Hamada supported his younger brother on his way down. He held him close to his chest as he maneuvered both of them to the second floor. Even if Hiro tried not to make a fuss about his right arm that was still hurting like hell. Tadashi somehow still noticed his pain.

 

The scent of sweat, blood, mint and lemons, invaded Hiro's nostrils as he was pressed close to a warm solid chest. The younger Hamada shook his head. Now was not the time . He needed to focus. As they reached the second floor, all of them got a little tense. No one knew, what awaited them behind the door, but they needed to act quickly, or they gonna get caught really quickly.

 

Tadashi and Hiro positioned themselves on the right and Steven on the left. They ducked right at the moment a group of four guards, armed to the teeth ran in front of them, directly to the staircase next to them. With stoic expressions on their faces, they stormed up, to the fourth floor. Not knowing that they missed their targets just by a few inches. Hiro exhaled slowly. He didn't realize, he had been holding his breath.

 

''Alright guys. We need to get safety to the end of this corridor and then turn to the left. I think this is the room 3F, which we are searching for...but stay alert. They could jump out from every corner, every second'' Hiro suggested as they carefully made their way to the long corridor. They stilled in their movements as a guard walked right out of the door. Hiro and Steven froze internally. Before the guard could even think about opening his mouth or blink, Tadashi already rushed forward and dislocated his head from his shoulders.

 

''Good work'' The younger Hamada whispered as they took the guard's weapon and moved forward. Tadashi stayed close to Hiro, like a second shadow. Like he was fearing, his little brother would end up dead in every newly passed second. Not that Hiro minded. He was content to be reminded that his older brother was still by his side. That he managed to save him. Safe both of them.

 

''Psst...guys we need to hide'' Hiro whispered and dragged Steven and Tadashi into the corner of another corridor. ''You'll both have to be careful! There a three people coming from the left!'' The younger Hamada mumbled into his companion's ears. They understood and nodded. Seeing how the three guards located themselves threateningly in front of room 3F. ''Guys, you know the plan..Steven? Tadashi?'' He asked. ''Yes, we know'' Tadashi replied. ''Alright, I take the one in the middle, Tadashi, the right one, Steven, the left..alright? Go!'' The younger Hamada jumped out of the corner and shot the guard in the middle right in his throat.

 

''Wha- What..you little-'' BANG. And there went the second one. BANG. And the third. ''Perfect.'' Hiro exclaimed as the small group opened the door to room 3F and went inside. The room was large and painted in poisonous green color. In the middle of the room, there were different monitors, observing every corner of the Cain Cooperation, except for the fire-ladder, to their convenience. A large heavily constructed keyboard stood right next to the monitors. Tadashi and Hiro closed the door behind them and pointed their guns at it, in case someone decided to storm in there.

 

Steven Heartnet spurted to the large keyboard and started to type different codes into the system's core. Activating the micro-bombs, which Hiro and he, had managed to sneak into the electric devices all around the Cain Corporation. The bombs were small, but the impact would be wall-tearing, if they were activated together at the same time. Something, on which Steven was currently working on. His hands were downright flying above the keyboard, as new windows popped up and closed in a millisecond-like rhythm.

 

''What do you guys think? How many time, we will need in order to leave this goddamn building before the explosions set off?'' Steven Heartnet questioned, eyes still glued to the large screen in front of him. ''Seven minutes, will be enough, I think'' The older Hamada answered while he searched for his brothers approval. ''Yeah'' Hiro nodded. ''It sounds good. Five minutes may not be enough and ten minutes will take too long.''

 

''Okay. The system is ready. I've hid the countdown but I have a watch on my wrist.'' Steven announced. Both brothers nodded. They positioned themselves in front of the door once again, before pushing the door slowly open. No one was there. It was pretty convenient for them. * Maybe a little too convenient* Hiro thought, when he reflected the single fact concerned luck and its non-existing presence in the most critical times of his life.

 

''Stay alert'' He mumbled as they slowly made their way to the corridor. It was silent. Way to silent. Suddenly, they were there. Jeff and Simon Scofield jumped directly out of the corner, in which Hiro, Tadashi and Steven had hid themselves from the four guards a few moments ago.

 

''Well, well...if this isn't our little fucking rat Steven Heartnet and subject FO2015 as well as RA2015?'' The scratchy voice of Jeff Scofield filled the corridor. One cold green and freezing blue eye was staring at the little group. Simon pointed his gun, an AK-47, at them. If he wanted, he could take them down, by three single shots, but it wouldn't be a very good decision, considering the small group was also armed.

 

''Hey..listen, we don't want to fight...especially not with you Tadashi and Hiro Hamada, but with our Steven there..we would have a little talk. How about a deal..hmm? We let you both go and allow you to do whatever fucking thing you want to do in this fucked up brains of yours ..doesn't this suggestion sound goddamn nice?'' Jeff played with the pistol in his hand, as he looked expectantly at the Hamada brothers. Especially on the younger Hamada, his eyes lingered for to long. Much to Tadashi's disliking. Protectively, he positioned himself in front of Hiro. 

 

''No we don't negotiate with murderers'' Hiro explained calmly. ''Before all else, do you really think, we would just hand you Steven, so you could do to him, god-knows-what? Maybe skin him alive?'' The younger Hamada spoke, stepping out of Tadashi's shadow and resting his hand on his arm in order to calm him down. The older Hamada couldn't afford to lose his cool. 

 

''Isn't he just glorious, Simon? Thinking that his better than us just because he had killed a few fucking people less! HAhahaha~ But the idea of skinning him alive holds interesting possibilities. I just thought of something like..breaking every bone in his body, but little Hamada there is much more creative, isn't he?'' Jeff bat his eyes at Tadashi, before the expression on his face turned mischievous. '' And I bet he is also creative in all the other ways, isn't he? With this sweet pink little tongue of his~....and I bet his creamy silky legs, would look very good, spread out on my carpet, when I will keep on thrusting brutally into him, while he begs, like the wild greedy slut he is, won't he, Simon?'' The other twin just grinned ravenously. 

 

Tadashi and Steven outright fumed. Only Hiro's faintly whisper ''Calm down..I have a plan'' helped them to control themselves from storming to the twins and beat their faces into an unrecognizable mess. * Okay..now would be a great time to save our asses* Hiro thought as he dropped his weapon to the ground. §..Don't worry. My back up is bullet proof..§

 

''H...Hiro what are you doing?'' Steven stuttered as the younger Hamada made his way to the twins. Completely unarmed. Tadashi clenched his bandaged fists together as well as his teeth. He knew, what that was about. And he completely didn't like it. He despised it even, but he had no other choice than to play along. '' Hiro ! Come back!! Don't be stupid!'' He screamed.

 

''I'm saving your asses'' Hiro stated calmly, while he walked towards the Scofield twins. Despite his battered form and his white torn hospital-like clothes, he still managed to look utterly mesmerizing and tempting. Like some rare exquisite treasure, on which everybody wanted to get there hands on, but nobody could. Curious, the twins lowered their weapons for a bit. ''I want to make a deal with you'' The younger Hamada said in a sugar-coated sizzling voice. A voice almost melting the ground underneath the feet of Jeff and Simon.

 

''Why now, beautiful?'' Jeff asked. ''I thought, you said that you didn't negotiate with murderers?'' The twin with the scratchy voice said. ''Well, I didn't want to negotiate with other people. But with myself? Why not? And if I get a little fun of it, it's like an extra bonus.'' Hiro sizzled appetizingly. ''HIRO? What are you doing?! NO!'' The older Hamada yelled with a terrified expression on his face. An expression, which caused Jeff to laugh at delight.

 

''Alright sweetheart, I'm listening'' Jeff declared, clearly enjoying how lost and scared the monstrous Hamada looked like right now. ''Well~'' Hiro took a few steps forward. '' How about I'll let both of you have me...and therefore you let Steven Heartnet and my older brother go~? Didn't you just said some interesting things, which you wanted to do to special body parts of mine?~'' The younger Hamada leaned forward. He was only inches from Jeff's face away. He could see how the other one practically gulped, as he lowered his gun to the ground in order to cup Hiro's cheek and bringing him closer. His sour breath ghosting on Hiro's skin.

 

Hiro wanted to throw up right away. But he needed to be calm. He had to wait for the moment. Another pair of hands appeared and placed themselves around Hiro's hips. Another smelly breath hitting the back of his neck. A pair of hands, which were without an AK-07 anymore. The weapon lay on the ground as well as the other. Jeff had tossed his one carelessly away, but Simon had placed his weapon right next to Hiro's feet. *Keep calm* *Keep calm*

 

''Hey boys~ what about a threesome?~ One of you does my mouth will the other one has fun with my other..hole?~ The younger Hamada sizzled temptingly, with a sugar coated voice. ''Hey~..I knew you were a wild slut~ how wonderful~ Then let me use your mouth!'' Jeff ordered, already lost in a drunk-like kind of state as he forced Hiro's head down, to the direction of his crotch, while the other twin was busy unzipping his pants.

 

The moment Hiro had been waiting for. With quick fluid movements he picked the AK-47 from the ground and elbowed Jeff in his groin while gripped the weapon and shot a hole in Simon's stomach. Then he vastly spun around and shot Jeff in his face. Three times. And then he couldn't...he turned himself away and threw up. On the ground. Next to Simon's dead body.

 

''Ugh..I never wanted to do THAT again..ugh...'' Hiro was shivering. Bandaged hands wrapped him, against a warm chest. The scent of blood, lemons mixed with mint was suddenly right there. ''Hiro..everything will be alright...I will always be there for you...I'm sorry you had to go through this again...next time..I'll promise..such measures won't be necessary.'' The older Hamada whispered against Hiro's head while his loaded gun shot through the already dead bodies of Jeff and Simon Scofield.

 

''I'm sorry guys! We have to hurry up! This building is going to explode in sixty seconds!'' Steven yelled. And that was enough for Hiro and Tadashi to awake from their trance. They grabbed the free guns and rushed down the stairs, trying to be as fast as possible. Even if the first explosions were to start on the highest floor, they could get end up buried under the pieces of it.

 

On their way down, they had to shot five more guards on their way to the exit. They darted through the corridors turned right and then turned left again. Only 30 seconds left. And they kept running. '' There! The exit!!'' He shouted happily, as they run towards the big doors.

 

''You think...I would let you....simply..go? After everything that you did?!You. Hiro Hamada. The one who destroyed my genius plan!'' Violet Green stood in front came from behind a pillar, standing right next to the exit. '' You think, you...could forget about that ...and live happily ever after?!'' She clenched a hand around her bloody stomach. ''If I'm going down, I will take you with me!'' And without further words she pulled the trigger, shooting at Hiro's direction.

 

BANG.

 

Hiro squeezed his eyes shut and waited for the pain. But it didn't came. Fearfully, he opened his eyes. in front of him, stood Tadashi, who had thrown himself between Hiro and the bullet. ''NOOOOO!!!! TADASHI!!!'' His older brother turned himself around. His own eyes wide open, shocked, terrified. But he didn't fall down. He remembered stable and he didn't sway. Panic-stricken Hiro's eyes searched Tadashi's body for a fresh bullet wound. But he found nothing. A strange sound, echoed through the main hall, as Steven Heartnet collapsed, blood pouring out of the fatal wound on his chest. It seemed like the tall blonde man had realized what Violet Green was up to and even knew how the older Hamada would react if somebody pulled a gun in front of his younger brother.

 

''STEEEVEEEN!!!! NOOOO!!!'' Hiro hurriedly darted towards the lying body of his friend as a horrific explosion reverberated above them, followed by another. ''Hiro ! We have to go!!'' Tadashi shouted and took Hiro's hand. But Hiro slapped it away. ''NOO!! We'll have to take Steven with us! Help me, Tadashi!! Please!!'' The younger Hamada reached for the body of his and Tadashi's self-made guardian and turned him carefully over.

 

The life has almost vanished from the ocean blue eyes: ''Hi..ro run..'' Steven Mouthed those words in the destruction all around them . The earth began to shake at it felt like hell wanted to take them all for a ride. ''No..I won't let you die a martyr Steven!! I just won't!! How could you be so stupid?! Why did you save me ?!!!'' Hiro's vision got blurry. Tears were making him harder to see and the ground kept shaking above and beneath him. With his healthy arm Hiro dragged him by his hand, but the building kept exploding above them and the disaster howled  
in close proximity above them.

 

''Too late ....run....Ta...dashi....save ...him....'' Steven mouthed, a small smile tugging at his lips. The ceiling shook right above Hiro. The older Hamada reacted on impulse and threw himself on his little brother sending them both flying to the direction of the door. ''NOOO!!!'' Hiro yelled as he saw how Steven was buried under heavy stone. Desperately, the younger Hamada clenched his left hand around Tadashi's neck and buried his teary face in the crock of his neck as Tadashi took him in his arms and rushed to the door, pushing it open with his body weight. Only missing the last explosion be an ounce. Tadashi's body acted like a shield, catching most of the disastrous explosions fire, when it exploded right behind them sending them both, flying to the ground. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

As the paramedics arrived, they were glad to confirm that two young males have barely survived the terrible 'industrial accident'.


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \----------
> 
> Hi, there everyone. The last months took its tool on me, therefore I'm really glad that I managed to crawl out of my black hole and do what makes me happy: writing. An immensely thanks for the patience and have fun with the next chapter of ''Both a sinner and a gentleman at heart''. :)
> 
> \----------

_____________________________________________

 

Two figures were standing next to a large window. On was holding a cup of coffee, while he looked outside. The other one was watching him patiently. Dark clouds painted the environment behind the window gray and dull. Even the few trees and bushes as well as the flowers, seemed to have absorbed the gloominess of the clouds. Dr. Clinton sighed. ''I'm sorry detective Katashi, but the patients are still not in condition for interrogation. You'll have to wait at least two more days, before you can speak with either one of them. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that they'll can give you the information, you're seeking.'' The old doctor answered, placing the cup onto the table next to him.

 

If investigator Katashi was displeased with the given answer, he didn't put it on display. Instead he tried again. ''Doctor Clinton, you're well aware that I'm investigating the reason behind the industrial accident. Many people have lost their lives in this horrific calamity. The emergency medical service is still searching for the remains of humans. Trying to identify the ones, whose bodies were crushed beneath the broken metal or melted into an unrecognizable mess of flesh. People, working for the medical service, told me about the possibility that the fire was caused by a lighter at the wrong place in the wrong time, next to a broken pipe.'' He stated.

 

Then he rubbed his temples. ''Nevertheless other workers make different assumptions and my investigation squad has also three other possibilities up their sleeves. The media. News channel. News station. Journalists. They all want to know, what has genuinely occurred. And without witnesses. Without true verification, I can't deliver them their answers with good conscience. The only information I have about the lone survivors of this tragic incident contains that they both are male. And in my line of work, this information is as good as the statement of a drunken man. Our chief is unmistakably becoming impatient with the lack of investigation results. He already speaks freely about, which worker in our station doesn't deserve the full payment, straining the already tense atmosphere. '' Detective Katashi rubbed his greying temples once again. 

 

''If I can't speak with witnesses yet, could you please at least tell me, in which condition they arrived at your hospital? The emergency medical service couldn't possibly examine them as thoroughly as a hospital staff can. I know that I'm asking for much, but people out there are going crazy. Talking about Gang wars. Or terrorism...I will only need a few clues about what had happened in the building before the fire incident took place. Before the people revert to ugly methods .'' The detective announced, looking straightly at doctor Clinton, who just had finished his cup of coffee. 

 

''Alright. I'll give you all the information that I have. Although only because, I don't want some nasty journalists or photographers come into my hospital and disturb my patients.'' Dr. Clinton replied. ''Follow me, officer.'' He stated, leading the Japanese policeman into another room. On the wall hung different ultrasound images. The old doctor went to a shelf and picked out two folders. ''Let's take a seat.'' He said, pointing to the table in close proximity. As they sat down, Dr. Clinton opened the folders and began to speak.

 

''The first patient, which we treated was Tadashi Hamada. According to the information given by his guardian, he is twenty-three years old. Currently he is studying at the San Fransokyo Institute of Technology. The reason why we treated Mr. Hamada first, was because of his grave condition. By the time he arrived, he had severe burns on the right side of his body. Despite from the burns, he had additionally bruises all over his body. On his upper leg was an almost healed stab wound. He must have got involved in a fight. I've seen many kitchen knife accidents in my life and this- this isn't one of them.'' Dr. Clinton turned a few pages. ''Well..there is another wound that we've almost missed, because we had been busy patching up the burns. His feet. Or more specific: The soles of his feet. Slashed up. Ripped. Like Tadashi Hamada had walked on shards or broken fragments.'' The doctor stated, before he waited patiently for the detective officer to finish his notes.

 

Meanwhile the old man in the white coat closed the folder and opened the other one. ''The second patient is Hiro Hamada. Sixteen years old, attending the same university as his older brother. Presumably he must be some kind of prodigy. In contrast to his older brother, the younger Hamada didn't have severe burns like his older brother. In my theory, Tadashi shielded him from the major damage.'' Dr. Clinton twirled his beard. '' Hiro had a concussion, probably caused by the impact of the explosion. His right arm is broken. A clean fracture. Altogether I would say, he is a pretty lucky individual, if it weren't for the bruises on his face, chest and legs. There is a large bruise on his stomach. Presumptively, from either a round item or a human fist.'' The doctor furrowed his brow.'' Albeit, what concerns me the most are the hefty rampantly marks around his neck.'' The doctor mentioned, with his eyes still attached to the folder.

 

The detective looked up from his notes. ''What about them? Do you have any clues about how they came into being?'' He asked. Doctor Clinton didn't hesitate with the answer. ''The marks around Hiro's neck are shaped like finger prints. In all probability, somebody attempted to strangle the younger Hamada. Ensuing from the dark color on his neck, the person laid his hands on him with the intend to kill.'' The old doctor finished, closing the folder and putting it above the other one. ''Both patients are currently still unconscious. Do you have other questions you'd like to ask, Mr. Katashi?'' Dr. Clinton questioned, with a slight glance on his wristwatch.

 

The detective furrowed his brow in thought. ''Yes, only one. Did you notice anything strange as you were confronted with the patients in the first time? Small details, like something out of the ordinary? Something seemingly unusual?'' The detective asked. The doctor glanced back at his folders. ''Something unusual? Hm...let me think about it...yes..probably the way both of them were dressed.'' He replied. ''Dressed?'' Detective Katashi questioned, writing a sign on his notebook.

 

''Yes. Dressed. They were both dressed in white shirts and trousers, made from rough material. When they firstly arrived at my hospital, my first thoughts circled about the possible accident at another hospital. In order to verify my assumptions, I called the hospital in New Tokiork, but they said that no incidents took place. And as far as I'm concerned the factory or company, which went up in smoke, didn't offer any medical services. It seemed more like a bureaucratic type of company.'' Dr. Clinton mentioned, twirling his beard. 

 

''Well that was more information that I had hoped for. I promise to keep the patients names, out of the media. Thank you, Dr. Clinton.'' Detective Katashi expressed, while collecting his notes and giving the old doctor a firm handshake, before leaving the room and making his way to his car, parked outside the hospital. Meanwhile, Dr. Clinton went to the coffee machine and made himself another espresso. Only fifteen minutes of his long one hour break remained. The old man walked to the large window, took a sip from his hot cup of coffee and looked how the raindrops began to hit the glass.

_____________________________________________

 

/*....Too late....*/

 

A gentle voice whispered faintly through Hiro's head. The younger Hamada was lying in undiminished darkness and couldn't move a single finger. A penetrating stench of fire, blood and dust clung to his nostrils. The ebony-haired teenager tried to turn away from the stench, but his body, still unmoving, paralyzed. To him, it felt like he was strapped to something. A table? Anxiety spiked in his chest.

 

/*....Too late....*/

 

The voice whispered again. It sounded familiar to Hiro's ears but he couldn't pin it down. He knew it belonged to someone important, although he couldn't remember who it was. Pain. His head throbbed barbarously, as well as his right arm. His throat was stinging. Thousand little knives piercing through delicate skin on his neck. All of these ruthless sentiments, made his brain cripple, made his brain unable to perform its usual tasks. Made it impossible for him to remember. Thick darkness, still surrounded him like a heavy black blanket. His mind tried to put the pieces, flying around in his head back together, but simultaneously the darkness pushed them apart. 

 

*...Too late?...* 

 

Hiro thought.

 

*.. Too late for what?..*

 

He questioned.

 

*..tell..me*

 

He asked the invisible voice.

 

The stench of fire and dust slowly morphed into a carrion-like odor. A stench, like burning flesh and corpses. The stench felt like hands, attempting to strangle Hiro, hindering him from thinking clearly. And just as the darkness tried to swallow him whole, a bright angry red fire spread before his eyes. Enlightening the identity of the whispering voices owner. A burnt corpse was standing next to the younger Hamada, tattered flesh hanging from his bloody skin. Some areas were burned so deeply that Hiro could see the white color of bones, shining obscurely behind the bloody flesh. But what terrified Hiro the most, were the still intact ocean blue eyes, shimmering though dark red eye sockets. Suddenly, the corpse opened it's raw teeth less mouth.

 

/*...It's too late....too late to save me...you've got to run...the witch is coming.../* It whispered.

 

Without a warning, a gun shot reverberated throughout the burning room. Steven Heartnet's corpse fell into pieces of bloody flesh. Right before Hiro's eyes. Behind the body parts, a white dressed woman appeared, with a menacing poisonous grin on her lips as she directed her weapon at Hiro. /* Game over/* She said cold-blooded, pulling the trigger. 

 

However, it wasn't Hiro's body, which fell to the burning concrete.

 

It was Tadashi's.

 

\------------

 

The scream erupting from Hiro's throat was full of raw agony and pain. Flashing, like lightening, his eyes flew open, only to be greeted be a blinding white color. Everything was white. The ceiling. The walls. The windows. His bed. The sheets. White like the room, in which Hiro had been held captive. White, like the clothes of Violet Green. A sickeningly cold and deathly color. And it was everywhere. Taunting Hiro to surrender. Smiling at him gleefully. 

 

His heart hammered wildly in his chest, like a panicked bird in a cage. His eyes darted from one point to another. Fast and hectic, searching for the signs of a camera or a white dressed woman. His head was throbbing and his body was unbearably numb, like somebody had replaced his organs with cold stones. The bandage on his throat seemed to prevent him from breathing normally. Hiro's blood pumped with even greater adrenaline as he noticed the syringe sticking in his left hand. A cable was clamped onto it, leading up, to a container, hovering above his head, filled with a strange white substance.

 

Suddenly it was there. A memory. Hiro remembered how Violet Green injected him with a similar substance. A substance, which caused him to lose his mind, transforming him into a wild animal, a will-less puppet. Violet Green's voice, digging through his brain like a screwdriver, urging him to fight Tadashi without mercy. Urging him to kill the person he loved the most. A sound of distress escaped Hiro's throat. His damaged throat hindered him from expressing all the agony which swept through him like a poisonous wave.

 

*No..no more. They won't...I won't get myself manipulated like that again!!! I have to escape. Tadashi..I have to find him...and Steven....oh god..Steven* Hiro suppressed the sadness wailing in his chest. A heavy reminder of his responsibility for a dead friend. But now he had to stay strong. He felt it in his bones. Something wasn't right. The white color, lingering everywhere where he looked. It's got to be a trap! He had to run! He had to rescue Tadashi. 

 

He would allow himself to cry later. Not now. He won't lose a person dear to him again. *I won't allow it!!* With a decisive fire in his eyes, Hiro collected his energy and reclined his sore body into a sitting position. The drug which they used on him, was blurring his senses. His unfocused eyes searched for the point, where the needle hit his skin, connecting him to the substance. * no...no ...they can't do this to me twice...* Biting his lower lip, the younger Hamada tried to use his right hand to remove the syringe, still sticking in his left hand. But in the process, he noticed that he couldn't use his right hand to remove it, because they put some tough material around his arm, uselessly hanging in a noose. His fingers couldn't move a single inch, deaf to his desperate commands. 

 

Hiro gritted his teeth together. *There has to be a way* The substance was certainly causing the strange numb feeling in his body, making it hard for him to move. But he had to. He just had to move. Tadashi might be now, who knows where, being tortured or even...even. No! He had to. He had pull himself together. Tadashi was definitely still alive and searching for him, screaming his name. Hiro's determination grew. This time he would protect him. He took a deep breath as he placed his left syringed hand slowly against his mouth. A few seconds later and the sound of a bloody needle, hitting white tilted floor washed through the room. Followed by a silent whimper.

 

Red. The color of Hiro's blood shimmered through the cold white sea like an island. He knew he could over-paint the twisted white memories with a color on his own. His head was spinning. Hiro took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Pain was still hammering in his veins. Especially his throat and his right arm send strong waves of misery up, to the nervous system of his brain. Only the thought about Tadashi, still alive, gave him strength. *I have to find him.* *Tadashi**Tadashi* *Tadashi** He must be alive*..I have to find him...*I have to find him...*

 

*but what if I'm too late?*

 

Panic stricken, the younger Hamada stumbled out his bed, knees hitting the ground. Terrific images of a corpse, wearing an SFIT cap, flashed in his mind. The younger Hamada used his less harmed hand to get up. Almost unbearably pain shot through his body, but the adrenaline got the better of him. He clenched his teeth and darted towards the door. Without blinking an eye, the younger Hamada swung the door open and darted in the white corridor. Ignoring the white dressed people, shouting something at him. Something uncomprehending to Hiro's foggy mind. He only had one goal. He had to find him. Tadashi. He had to. The white dressed people, which Hiro passed in the hallway, wore the same ugly face: Violet Green was starring at him from thirty different pairs of eyes. Yet he kept dodging and avoiding the outstretched hands, trying to stop him.

 

With everything he had, the younger Hamada ran through the floor. He let his instincts lead him. Behind him he could make out hectic voices. ''What are you doing?! Stop! You need to get back to your room!'' Like hell Hiro would. They wouldn't catch him so easily this time. He wouldn't allow it. The sixteen year old picked up his speed. *Tadashi...Tadashi...Tadashi....* He couldn't think about anything else. He went past the west wing and took the stairs up the the upper floor. 

 

He still kept bumping into people, but he pushed them aside. With every step, he took, another throbbing pain exploded in his nervous system. The drug must wore off. Hiro's breath was frantic and every new intake hurt his lungs. Pain was swirling in his head, but he wouldn't let the pain take over. Not when he still needed to find Tadashi. The environment around him was a blurry mess, which kept repeating itself. He passed one white hallway, filled with Violet Green's face after another. It reminded him of a strange kind of maze. Yet he kept moving forward. His right arm sent waves of pain down his spine. Yet he pushed forward. //HIRO!!!// The younger Hamada halted. Was that just Tadashi's voice? Without over-thinking, he ran towards the source of the voice. Straightly, he stormed to the west wing and pushed the second door on his right, with his left shoulder open.

 

The view, which greeted him, felt like a punch in the gut. If it weren't for the familiar cinnamon brown eyes, starring wide open, out from under the bandages, he doubted that he would have recognized his older brother. But there he was. Lying on the white bed. Bandages covering a major part of his body. Tubes connected him to different monitors and in one of his bandaged hand stuck a well familiar syringe, leading up to a container, attached to a pole, near Tadashi's bed. The peeping of the monitor, measuring his heartbeat was the only indication that his older brother was alive. 

 

''..Hiro...Hiro...Hiro...'' The older Hamada whispered repeatedly, seemingly disoriented and deranged. His eyes, not fixated on a specific spot, kept jumping back and forth and up and down, desperately searching for something. His eyes were glassy and ripped open. As his eyes streaked Hiro, he glanced right through him. Seemingly trapped in a living nightmare. ''Hiro..Hiro..Hiro..where are you? Please...please..don't..no don't take him away...no..Hiro'' He kept mumbling, eyes still moving like crazy, while the beeping sound of the heart monitor underlined his desperation. 

 

Hiro unchained himself falteringly from the paralyzation, which had befallen him. He couldn't watch any longer. With slow steps, he walked to his older brother. Still mumbling his name, under bandaged lips. Right in front of Tadashi, Hiro broke down, sinking onto a chair, which stood next to the white bed. Automatically, his left hand searched for Tadashi's bandaged one and intertwined their fingers together. Tears were flowing down his cheeks and his shoulders were shaking, from the uncontrollable sobs, erupting from his throat. He let his head sink down next to their intertwined hands.

 

''I'm here...Tadashi..please..It's alright...I'm..alright.....I'm here'' He whispered softly against the material on Tadashi's injured hand. But the gaze of his older was still glued in seemed to be unfocused, staring at unknown directions. But he was alive. It was all that mattered to Hiro for now. Without warning, pain exploded behind his eye, cutting his circularity. On reflex he increased his hold on Tadashi's hand, before sudden darkness knocked him out and he fell unconscious, lying slouched on half bed and chair. His head still resting next to their hands. His right hand, still dangling uselessly in the noose. His chest falling and rising regular. Sleeping.

 

Hiro didn't notice, how the figure beside him started to move. Bandaged hand enclosing gently around the hand of the younger Hamada. Tadashi Hamada awoke from his stupor and glanced at his younger brother. Relief and happiness glowed in his eyes, as his thumb drew small circles on Hiro's hand. Even if the burns were still eating and biting Tadashi's skin, the unbearable became bearable in just the exact second he looked at Hiro. The relief washing through him, was like cold water on burnt skin. Now everything will be alright. They could make it. Together. Tadashi smiled slightly. The motion caused his face to inflame and yet he couldn't stop, because now he knew for sure: He didn't lost him. A lingering sense of peace tingled over the older Hamada. His heart monitor started to beep more stable.

 

But the created peace was destroyed by two white dressed figures, who broke through the room. Alerted the older Hamada fixated his gaze on them. But somehow they didn't seem to notice. ''I'm glad we found him unharmed. Poor boy. Passed out. '' One figure said. ''Probably the result of post traumatic stress. We have to give him medication for his pain.'' The older one added, before he furrowed his brow slightly, in though. ''Interesting though..that he found where his older brother is situated.... But maybe he heard us talking about it, when he was asleep.... Well, now... everything will be alright.'' The old man in the white coat mentioned.

 

The young one nodded in agreement as he pulled out a syringe from under his white cloth and took slowly a few steps to Hiro's direction. The younger Hamada's head was still resting against the hospital bed. His unharmed hand, as if sensing incoming danger subconsciously, strengthened his hold on Tadashi's hand. Protective instincts spiraled in Tadashi immediately. With a threatening growl erupting from his gritted teeth, his eyes shot piercing daggers at the hospital workers. His heart monitor began to beep like a vicious flying animal. Both of the workers stopped in tracks. Halting their movements. Goosebumps spreading through their skin. 

 

The younger one lost his composure. ''Wh..what? Why is he awake Dr. Clinton?! He shouldn't be! With this kind of wounds, I predicted that he would be still sleeping the next two days! It's a miracle!'' The doctor apprentice expressed as he took another step forward, caught up in his excitement, forgetting the syringe, still placed in his hand. ''Don't...'' Tadashi gritted through his teeth, he couldn't move his facial muscles properly for more words. 'Don't! '' He gritted. The heart monitor on Tadashi's right began to beep faster.

 

Dr. Clinton tried to take a few steps forward. He put his hands in the air, an act of pacification. '' We won't hurt him Mr. Hamada. We just want to give your younger brother a dose against the pain in his throat and arm.'' The Forty-five year old doctor added, a reassuring smile on his lips congruent to his words, but Tadashi's eyes were still fixated on the syringe, held by the apprentice of Dr. Clinton. 

 

''No!'' He gritted out decisively. His bandaged upper body moved slightly forward, attempting to shield Hiro from whatever these people wanted to do to him. Tadashi's senses were still mixed up. And his heart was beating frantically in his chest. He feared it might be another trick of Violet Green. Even though, he knew it's impossible, since she is supposed to be buried under a dozen burning steel and stone. * They gonna take Hiro away from me again! No! I won't allow it!* The older Hamada thought. The panic in his heart, becoming visible at the heart monitor, which was starting to Beep hysterically.

 

''This is bad! This is really bad!! What should we do, Dr. Clinton?'' The apprentice with the syringe asked nervously, taking another step back, fearing that further actions would worsen the state of the patient in front of him. ''We'll need more help to get him sedated! In this state, he could rip his severe burns open. Hurry, run to Samantha and tell her we need more people.'' Mr. Clinton ordered, eyes worryingly starring at the heart monitor.

 

The apprentice put the syringe back in his pocket and ran towards the door. As he disappeared, a middle-aged woman with wavy brown hair appeared in the white door-frame. The basket shaking in her jittery hands. Her green eyes were ripped open, as they stared at her older nephew, who was still growling at Doctor Clinton. The heart monitor was still peeping hysterically to his left. ''Oh...my..'' She whispered in shock as she took in the scenery in front of her. The doctor noticed the woman behind him. 

 

''Madame, I 'm sorry, but I have to ask you to leave this room. The state of this patient is quite  
problematic.'' The forty-five year old man spoke calmly, looking at the shocked woman. ''I..I won't leave! I'm their guardian, Cassandra Hamada. And I won't leave until you tell me, why one of my precious nephews is lying unconscious, outside his room and the other one is suffering a panic attack!'' She shouted loudly, finally coming to her senses.

 

''Mrs. Hamada, please calm down. We will settle this problem in a short matter of time. Rest assured.'' Mr. Clinton expressed, making his way to Tadashi, but aunt Cass intervened. ''No! You won't do anything to my nephews without my consent! And first of all let me speak to him, alone! Don't you see, he is in distress?'' The frizzy haired woman expressed, pointing with her finger towards the heart monitor. Doctor Clinton rubbed his temples. ''Fine. You get five minutes, but then we have to sedate him, in order to prevent him from causing himself or his younger brother harm.'' He exclaimed, as he walked towards the door and closed it silently behind him.

 

As the doctor vanished from his sight, the older Hamada's growl lessened, but he was still under high voltage, trying to give his little brother as much security as possible. ''Tadashi...honey it's me....aunt Cass.'' The brown haired woman said softly, placing the basket on the table next to Tadashi's bed. Tadashi's eyes followed her movements, still wary, but less angry. He simply nodded slowly, indicating her that he recognized her presence. His once warm glowing cinnamon brown eyes were dark and dull. It shocked aunt Cass to her bones, because she didn't recognize her older nephew at all.

 

''Honey...you have to listen to me...'' Aunt Cass slowly approached Tadashi. She was careful not to get too close, because the heart monitor attached to the older Hamada was still peeping irregularly. Therefore she continued to speak in calm words. ''Hiro needs the syringe injection in order for his pain to lessen. Everything is okay now...you both are safe here. I promise...you...'' Aunt Cass blinked the tears away from her eyes. ''You....you did so well...protecting our little genius...I know it must be painful to let him go after such an incident , but...'' Her voice wavered.

 

''No..'' The older Hamada whispered, interrupting his aunt. ''I can't. You...you weren't there...aunt Cass. After.. the building collapsed...the explosion...he could have...could have..I...I have to protect him..'' Tadashi glanced down at his sleeping little brother and a hint of color filled his dull eyes. The heart monitor on his right was getting more stable.

 

The sight in front of her, made her heart ache. The frizzy haired woman didn't want to separate them, but she also had to make sure they both could recovery safely. Therefore she tried another approach. ''Tadashi...Hiro needs to rest. He can't heal properly, when he is clasping your hand while his other broken hand is still hanging in the noose. Please, let me help you to put him in a bed where he can recover properly.''

 

The twenty-four year old looked thoughtfully from his beloved brother to his aunt. A wave of self-disgust washed through his veins as he recalled, who was responsible for the state of Hiro's right arm and the bandage was wrapped around his throat. Tadashi drew a shaky breath. His aunt was right. He had to let his younger brother go. ''Okay'' He whispered almost faintly. It pained his heart to let him go, but he had to. For Hiro's sake. Just as Tadashi was about to loosen his grip on Hiro's unharmed hand, the white door was ripped open and four white dressed men entered the room with a noisy thud.

 

The sight of them, sent Tadashi straightly back to the horrific time at the Cain Corporation. His heart began to pump wildly in his chest again as his attempted to draw Hiro closer to his own battered frame in order to protect him from any harm. ''What are you doing?!'' Aunt Cass shouted furiously. ''You promised me to give me time!'' She yelled at doctor Clinton, who was standing behind his three helper's. 

 

''I owe you my deepest apologies, Ms. Hamada, but we need to calm the patient down immediately. A panic attack is a common occurrence, after such a traumatic experience. Trust me, I know, what I'm doing. We are just going to sedate your older nephew and bring his young brother back to his room two floors beneath to his original room A23.'' Doctor Clinton announced. 

 

''This won't be necessary! He was fine, before you stormed here with your gorillas five seconds ago! Of course, he would react like that! Professionalism..my ass! You're not going to lay a singly finger on my precious nephews'' Aunt Cass shouted enraged and tried to move in front of Tadashi and Hiro in order to protect him, but one of the assistant's grabbed her by the arm and led her out of the room. ''Excuse me Ms. Hamada, but we are only doing this for your nephews sake.'' He said. As the door closed behind aunt Cass, she heard how Tadashi roaring and screaming, followed by many noises.

 

The sound of it shattered almost her heart to tiny pieces. A few seconds passed and suddenly it got quiet. Almost too quiet. She was shaking with rage and kept starring deathly daggers at the assistant before her. The young man gulped and turned his head away. Unable to utter a word. He was certainly relieved as the door in front of them opened with a click. The assistant let her arm go. Aunt Cass stormed through the door.

 

The sight, which greeted her, was different from her expectations. Tadashi's monitor was peeping constantly for the first time. His eyes were closed and his bandaged head was rolled to the side. A small syringe was attached to the skin on his arm. The assistants surrounding him, were huffing and puffing as if they just ran a marathon. The look in their eyes mirrored aunt Cass' from a few minutes ago. Hiro's hand was still connected with Tadashi. A similar syringe was stuck in his unharmed arm and his chest was rising and falling steadily. 

 

Mostly unharmed. Safe. Aunt Cass breathed out slowly, relieved that nothing seriously bad had happened. She gulped her anger down and turned to doctor Clinton, who at least had the decency to look guilty, holding a clipboard close to his chest. The middle aged woman had to resist the urge to rip the clipboard off his hands and hit him with it on his head. Several times. But she remained calm. ,,Ms. Hamada, I'm deeply sorry that we had to go to such lengths, but as you can see now, your nephews are in the best state of healing.'' He mentioned unruffled.

 

,,I see, but why is my younger nephew still not lying in a proper hospital bed?'' Aunt Cass asked, crossing her hands in front of her chest, glancing worryingly at the younger Hamada. ,,Well, we tried to separate them, but somehow even our strongest assistant didn't manage to pull them apart.'' The doctor stated. ,, Rodriguez, would you please demonstrate Ms. Hamada our attempts?'' Dr. Clinton asked, looking at the bulky assistant on his right. The assistant nodded, making his way to Hiro.

 

,,Please don't hurt him'' Aunt Cass expressed worriedly, green eyes fixed on the lithe form of the sixteen year old. ,,Don't worry, ma'am, I will be careful'' Rodriguez answered with a friendly smile on his lips. First, he tried haltingly to remove Hiro's hand from Tadashi's, but neither his pull nor his attempt to find small spaces between their intertwined hands was working. Then he put his arms deliberately around Hiro's chest and attempted to drag his body away from the older Hamada, but their hands remained intertwined even as their arms seemed to be strung in the air.

 

Aunt Cass was sure: If Tadashi's hospital bed wouldn't be fixed to the ground, his bed would simply move to the direction in which Rodriguez was pulling Hiro to. ''I think that's enough'' Dr. Clinton stated and Rodriguez put Hiro back into his original position. Then he glanced back to aunt Cass. His eyes practically saying : See? It's not working. 

 

The brown haired woman stifled the laugh bubbling up in her chest. ,,They are inseparable, since childhood'' She announced almost giggling how this situation reminded her of the time, when she tried to pull little five year old Hiro away from Tadashi, as the older Hamada tried to go to school. In the end Aunt Cass had allowed Tadashi to drag little Hiro with him and only because he suddenly had reasonable arguments at hand, telling her that she could use her free-time. And that Hiro's mind would quickly adapt to the new environment in school. Or ten dozen other reason's, which he came up with all underlined by his own pleading cinnamon eyes and the big puppy-dog eyes of five year old Hiro.

 

Aunt Cass smiled at the memory, before she turned her attention back to Dr. Clinton. ,,If you don't mind, I have a suggestion. This room seems to have enough space for a second bed, when you remove this drawer'' She pointed at the drawer. ''you can- with the help of a little rearrangement- simply put Hiro's bed in here, next to Tadashi's.'' She stated in the matter of fact.

 

''Well....'' Doctor Clinton mentioned, considering the suggestion. ,,Well..why not? It would certainly decrease the possibility of running after a patient in my age again. And maybe the face of a familiar person will weaken the after-effects of the accident.'' He rubbed slightly his gray beard. ''Alright, Rodriguez, Anton, please do what Ms. Hamada just suggested. ,,Bryan, come with me, I need you downstairs.'' Dr. Clinton ordered.

 

''Thank you'' Aunt Cass expressed, as Rodriguez and Anton vanished from the room, taking the drawer with them. Doctor Clinton just smiled. ,,It's my job after all'' He stated as he nodded to her direction and walked out of the room with the assistant named Bryan in row. The younger one, which had pulled her away from the room. She suppressed any left feelings of resentment lingering in her chest. 

 

The most important part was the fact that her boys were safe and sound. Slowly, she approached Hiro and stroke his fluffy ebony colored hair, smiling slightly, looking at sleeping Tadashi and their intertwined hands. She remembered how shocked she was, as the hospital called and told her about the accident. But looking at the peaceful expressions on both of their faces, she knew: Everything will be fine now. 

 

Little did she now that everything was far away from being fine.

 

\-------------------------------------

 

With a mute scream on his lips, Hiro woke up from something what felt like another nightmare. He looked around. Everything was plunged in darkish colors. His heart was beating wildly in his chest. Somehow he still held hope that everything, which had happened to them, was just a big bad dream. Nothing less. However, he knew on instinct that this room wasn't his and Tadashi's shared room two floors above the Lucky Cat cafe. There weren't any nerdy posters, nor his shelves with his robotic inventions. 

 

Cold, the younger Hamada felt a nerve wreaking cold tingling inside of him. Like a disease it spread through his nervous system. Only the pleasant and calming warmth, radiating from the hand holding his, stopped the cold fear and panic to burst open. He glanced to the side and saw the bandaged person sleeping on the bed next to his, still holding Hiro's hand as his chest moved slowly up and down. Sleeping. Tears of relief prickled in Hiro's eyes as he squeezed Tadashi's hand tighter and blinked them away. He was alive. It was all that mattered. 

 

The younger Hamada only remembered bits and pieces of what had happened before the so called accident took place. He knew that Violet Green had tried to shot him, but the bullet hit Steven instead, who pushed Tadashi out of the way, receiving the one bullet meant for Hiro. *oh..god Steven* Hiro sobbed softly, remembering Steven's sacrifice. His willingness to help two strangers, who he didn't even know. The kindness, which he showed them even after knowing that they both- It wasn't fair. He was such a good person. He didn't do anything wrong, besides helping Tadashi and him. And now he wouldn't even have a proper grave, because nobody would be able to recognize his corpse.

 

If he only hadn't helped them that night, in which the Yakuza had attacked. If Steven only didn't agree to his stupid..so fucking stupid plan. He underestimated Violet Green. His calculations were utterly wrong. How could he have been so stupid? Hiro bit his lips, not wanting his sobs to wake his older brother. Tadashi already went through enough, because of him. The younger Hamada knew what was hiding behind the bandages, covering his older brothers skin. Burns. Severe burns. Burns the idiot got from wrapping himself around Hiro like a goddamn shield!

 

Hiro tried to calm himself down, while the guilt dragged him down to his own personal hell. Collect. He had to collect himself. If not for his own sake than for Tadashi's. He needed to come up wit a story why Tadashi and he, were in the Cain Corporation. And the reason behind their injuries as well as the clothes, which they were wearing. When the doctors will say that their physiological and psychological condition is stable, the policemen will certainly take it as a start sign for an interrogation, hoping to find the reason behind the 'industrial' accident. Hiro needed only one story version, which he would tell aunt Cass, their friends or any other people, including the police. 

 

Tadashi had protected him from so long. And even as Hiro believed that he was protecting him- the one doing the real 'protecting' in the end was Tadashi again. Hiro glanced at the sleeping figure next to him. Tears unwillingly, found their way down Hiro's cheeks as he took in the damage, which Tadashi selflessly had inflicted upon himself. Being with him, was only causing Tadashi more damage. But Hiro wasn't strong enough, or selfless enough to leave his older brother alone. If he had the strength he would disappear after the healing process of his older brother was done.

 

Although Hiro knew: He possibly couldn't do that. After everything they went through. After everything they endured. After everything they sacrificed. After everything that Steven did for them- they were obliged to live on, harboring the memory of him, like a hidden treasure, because they couldn't tell neither their friends, nor aunt Cass about him. If they did, everything else would be dragged to the cruel light of truth along with it. They things, they have done as well as well as the forbidden feelings, they have kept hidden, could come to the surface and destroy the only chance of normalcy Tadashi had. Normalcy, the wish Steven had left for them behind.

 

The younger Hamada closed his eyes for a moment and focused his attention on the sounds of his breathing brother next to him. Somehow, he missed the voice inside his head, he knew it didn't vanish. It was somewhere there. In the corner of Hiro's mind. Licking his wounds. A little dysfunctional...that was Hiro Hamada. However, besides his older brother no one should know. The syringe in his unharmed arm stung. Even if he wanted nothing more than to rip this piece of plastic with his teeth away anew, he left it there. Untouched. He didn't want the white dressed people to stick another one in his arm. Looking at it and feeling the sharp metal on his skin, caused his brain to mock him with painful memories of him, being captured by Violet Green, being under her mercy and forced to almost kill the person he cherished the most.

 

Who was he lying to? If he thought, the situation was fucked up, back then in the alley, where  
he found out that the mysterious stranger he was making out with, turned to be his older brother, than the shit which happened after, took the cake. But what will follow now, will not only just take the cake. No. It will take the cake and place a fucking bloody cherry on top of it. Hiro knew he had to pretend that nothing happened at all. That he hadn't blood on his hands. That he was still the same snarky genius prodigy. Even though he wasn't. Not anymore.

 

,,Hiro...'' Tadashi breathed out softly, still asleep. The younger Hamada quickly fixated his eyes on Tadashi. ,,Hiro..where..where are you?'' The twenty-three year old mumbled in his sleep, turning his head from left to right, twitching. His body tensed as the heart monitor began to peep more loudly. ,,Hiro...Hiro...no don't touch him! please......no....No!'' He almost screamed as an invisible nightmare seemed to hunt him down.

 

,,Tadashi, Tadashi! I'm here!'' Hiro claimed as he increased his grip on Tadashi's hand. ,,Please calm down..it's over...Tadashi it's over. I'm here. I'm with you and I will stay. Everything will be fine..It's over..they're dead...she's dead..They can't hurt us anymore'' The younger Hamada added, wishing he had the strength to move his body in order to wipe away the sweat on Tadashi's forehead. But he couldn't, because this time, the doctors seemed to have added another substance mixed in the already existing one from the syringe. He could only move his thumb softly above the back of Tadashi's hand, like his older brother did, when Hiro was in distress.

 

,,Tadashi...everything is fine...I'm here..and I won't go anywhere..so please rest..I'm save.'' The younger Hamada said softly to the still twisting Tadashi. ,,Hiro...save?'' The bandaged young man mumbled through his dark dream, still moving his head from left to right. ,,Yes, I'm save Tadashi..and I'm here, beside you. I'll always be'' Hiro answered gently, again with salty water covering his sight, as he kept on caressing the back of Tadashi's hand with his thumb.

 

The older Hamada visibly calmed down. His head fell to the right and remained there. Facing Hiro's direction. An almost invisible smile ghosted on his bandaged lips, as the heart monitor documented the now calm state of his heart. Hiro slowly breathed out, blinking the tears in the corners of his eyes away. *Tadashi...* He thought as his eyes took in the battered form of his older brother. He knew no matter what came now, as a long as Tadashi was by his side, they both could manage it. They had to.

 

The younger Hamada closed his eyes and fell asleep immediately, feeling safe from the warmth of Tadashi's presence and the knowledge that he was still alive. 

 

The next morning Tadashi slept peacefully through the day, occasionally waking up, as if checking that Hiro is still there and then falling back to sleep. Hiro asked the doctor Clinton questions about Tadashi's condition and received the knowledge that sleep is a very essential part of rehabilitation. In the next few days different nurses changed Tadashi's bandages. And mostly when he was asleep, so he wouldn't panic. Hiro was as white as the wall, as he saw the extent of the damage the first time with his very own eyes. 

 

Their aunt was allowed to visit them only an hour. She usually took her time after the cafe was closed. She didn't ask questions about the incident. She just talked normally with him about the Lucky Cat, about how Mochi was already missing them, as well as about something, concerning the poetry night. It felt good, to listen to her babble. It calmed Hiro down. Knowing there is another life waiting for them. Sometimes, she would turn her worried eyes on his neck . Hiro knew now, what he would answer when she finally decided to ask him the question: I don't remember, sorry aunt Cass.

 

The days passed from that moment in a blurred line. Their aunt often came to visit them. Telling them how much their friends are missing them. Telling them that its stupid to allow only one person-visits-per day. Speaking about how ashamed the hospital staff should feel, hindering her from providing her nephews with her awesome cooking skills and that the strict policy that patients of the hospital should eat only their hospital food can go to hell. And she was right. But Hiro doubted that even hell, would want such horrible food. Even fruits and vegetables tasted like somebody had pressed the life essence out of them, mirroring Hiro's emotional state in a strange kind of way. If the guests, the doctor or the nurses weren't there, Hiro could finally relax a little from his duty to play hide and seek. To pretend. Tadashi still was bound to lie in the bed, but at least he wasn't screaming in pain anymore and the time span, when he was regaining his consciousness, was getting bigger and bigger as time passed by.

 

The doctors convinced Hiro that it was all right to take the bandage off his neck, but he told him that he wasn't ready to face the marks in the mirror. Which wasn't exactly a lie. He spent his day hovering in front of Tadashi's bed. Holding his hand. Wiping softly the sweat on his forehead away. The younger Hamada wouldn't leave his side. No matter what. And that was something even he couldn't hide. The stress and the panic always took its tool on him, when he left Tadashi's presence even milliseconds apart, felt like years.

 

He did his research with the post traumatic stress syndrome, severe burns, hell he even researched schizophrenia, only to find out that this was a territory he didn't want to take a step on now. 

 

Everything he did when he next to people other than Tadashi, was like walking with bare feet on a minefield. Walking carefully, cautiously and under a high-amount of concentration, considering that the next step, might as well be his last one. It was draining his energy away from him. But he had Tadashi, his hope and his light. Day and night Hiro watched after him. Especially at nights, when the nightmares get worse. 

 

Thankfully, they removed the heart monitor finally after the first week of hospitalization. The sounds of it, were driving the younger Hamada crazy, thinking about how every peep of Tadashi would be the last.

 

\----------------

 

Tadashi smiled through his worse condition. Tadashi smiled as the nurse changed his bandages. He smiled as she put an horribly itchy substance on his skin. He smiled as she bound him up again. His hands were making claw-like motions in the whole process, as if trying to control the strong needs to scratch his sore skin. But he kept smiling. True. But only to Hiro. Even through the feeling of helplessness relentlessly waved through his skin.

 

Aunt Cass didn't push Tadashi to speak. In their conversations, his eyes were unfocussed, starring into different corners of the white tilted room. White. White. Everything. He nodded sometimes out of gratitude. But he barely spoke. She noticed. Tadashi had changed. Of course, after such a tragic incident. The old Tadashi was a warm, gentle peoples person, who wanted to improve the world. Now it seemed as he wanted to prevent the world from dragging him down. 

 

Hiro calmed their aunt down, saying that its the severe burns itching every night and day on his skin. Its the pain. The trauma. And not the self-destructive urge he was fighting. Punishing himself, for not being able to save Steven as he was buried under the steel and punishing himself for letting Hiro almost die by his own hands. 

 

And the fight kept going. White. White. White. Everything was white. He remembers something his mother once told him. She said white was the color of death. Sadly, she was right. But the overwhelming presence of whiteness made Tadashi sometimes want to puke. And needles..as well as doctors. A living nightmare with closed and open eyes. But what scared Tadashi the most were the moments of normalcy, because in those moments the fear of losing whats precious to him, was far greater than in the nightmares, because he knew: He would not be waken.

 

\---------------

 

It was as if Hiro lived through Tadashi's nightmares together. The panic, angst, sadness at the loss of Steven, purely devastation at the thought of losing each other. Yearning for blood. Wanting to revive Violet Green and the Cain Corporation again, in order to tear it apart brick by brick, limp by limp, till there was nothing left but bones and dust. The pain was like a daily and nightly visitor in Hiro's and Tadashi's room. An unwanted guest, who didn't want to leave. For Hiro, it was more of a psychological nature and for Tadashi it was more physical. Sometimes the older Hamada had to bite his tongue in order not to scream.

 

Often, when Hiro went to his bed. At night, he heard Tadashi, whispering ''..Hiro..Hiro..it hurts...it burns..so much it hurts...scratch..I want to scratch these bandages of my skin...oh god..Hiro..Hiro..'' He kept repeating his name like a prayer. The younger Hamada stuck by his side through these stages of regeneration. Gently, drawing small circles over the bandaged . 

 

,,Hiro...Hiro..don't leave..please'' Those words echoed from Tadashi's lips every night. And followed Hiro's tireless promises to stay. The younger Hamada told him sometimes stories of their childhood. Reminding Tadashi who he was, reminding him who they were, because he knew. If he wanted to stay with his older brother, he had to find a way to being just that. Brothers.

 

So firstly, he started to tell Tadashi, the story where they turned Aunt Cass' vending machine into a race car, giving her almost a heart attack, as they sped down the main street of San Fransokyo with almost 50miles per hour. Hiro giggled lightly at the memory of the shocked faces from the people as they just came to stop in front of a supermarket. Tadashi smiled a little at that. ,,I missed it.'' He admitted quietly. ,,Missed, what?'' The younger Hamada asked, tilting his head to the side, in question. ,,Your smile and the sound you make when you laugh'' Tadashi answered, gentle cinnamon eyes shimmering in love and adoration.

 

His loving gaze was so intimate, so intense..that Hiro gulped and turned his head away in order to prevent Tadashi to see the blush, spreading softly though his face. He coughed a little. ,,Well, big nerd once I've told you the next story your going to hear the sound of my laugh a lot more, because I may have knowledge of what occurred on THE Sunday night'' His older brother looked at him, face showing that his mind is still progressing. ,,You don't mean THE Sunday night, when I thought a bugler came to our house ?'' He asked.

 

,,Except you thought a burglar came into our house. I was there at the time. Not sleeping. Under a bunch of pillows, I had hidden a device, which was imitating my breathing movements and playing the recorded version of my sleeping sounds. Downstairs at the cafe, I was testing the new flying robotic boots, I made for Mochi. 

 

But the cat panicked and knocked a chair over, flying close to a table with a blanket on it and dragged the blanket along with it. Mochi's actions caught me off guard and as a result I've lost the remote in the darkness.. And so there I was..searching for the remote behind the counter, as I suddenly heard familiar footsteps...'' Hiro said, lowering his voice, trying to sound mysterious.

 

,,Oh no'' Tadashi whispered redness spreading through his cheeks, Hiro knew what was coming next. But Hiro couldn't stop himself. A sly grin appeared on his lips as he continued. ,,Oh yes, big bro...I have heard the high-pitched scream. And I saw what seemed like the panic waving off arms...then I saw you darting out of the room...as I finally managed to grab onto the remote and release Mochi...you returned out of the blue, with the kitchen roller from aunt Cass, holding it in front of you like a baseball bat..hmm...haha..ha.'' Hiro laughed joyfully as he held onto his stomach.

 

,,Ow!'' He winced, holding onto his right arm, he had carelessly moved. Tadashi suddenly looked like he wanted to jump out of the bed in order to examine Hiro's injury. Hiro read him like an open book. ,,Stop. no, don't. Bad Dashi! Bad. Sit.'' Hiro ordered. ,,Don't worry, I was just a little clumsy with my movements, that's all.'' He stated. ''I'm lucky that this was a clean break. If it had been more complicated. It..'' Hiro saw the guilty look on Tadashi's face and silenced his voice immediately.

 

,,Hey...bro...you know that you don't have to feel guilty about this, right?'' Hiro took a seat next to Tadashi. ,,I mean..it wasn't your fault, it was all hers'' The younger Hamada said, not hiding the ounce of anger by mentioning ''her''. He slowly moved and laid his head on Tadashi's chest. Listening to the soft heart beats, his heart made. ,,This..this is all that matters now'' Hiro whispered against the scent of disinfection, coming from the bandages. 

 

Tadashi's hand slowly moved on top of his head, caressing softly Hiro's hair. ,,I know...I know...but I can't help but feeling that way'' Tadashi whispered. ,,Every time I look at your neck or your arm...apart of me wants to die..for letting myself be controlled by this psycho-woman. And that's not all. The room. The doctors. The needles. It's as if we're back at the Cain Corporation. And sometimes I wondered when the door will be ripped open and they come and take you away from me.'' The older Hamada expressed, still caressing Hiro's hair.

 

''I know you fear the same Hiro. Even if you're an almost perfect actor, I notice how you flinch at loud noises and at the sight of needles. And how you almost unnoticeably grit your teeth when a doctor enters the room.'' Tadashi spoke. Hiro caught in the act. Nevertheless, he cuddled himself closer to Tadashi. ''Of course, you would notice'' He mumbled. ''I guess, I really can't hide anything from you, can I?'' Hiro asked rhetorically. Tadashi just smiled gently, not ceasing his action. It was dark. The moonlight lit the room in a bluish light. The Hamada brothers didn't want to fall asleep. The nightmares were waiting, licking their teeth eagerly.

 

While Tadashi somehow managed to fall into a silken slumber, the younger Hamada kept his eyes wide open. Urging himself to breath steadily. Anxiety already lurking in the corner of his mind. His brain was hammering loudly in his head, like an alarm cock. If he fell asleep now, he wouldn't be able to save Tadashi from another nightmare. Instead they would both fall into abyss. And then the doctors would come...with their painkillers and needles. Only worsening the situation. They would- no. Hiro refused to think even further about the things that could go wrong. Rather than worrying about the future, he decided to pay his attention to the present. Something, which Hiro considered a very difficult task, because the past is still taking its tool on them.

 

Tadashi shifted uneasily in his sleep. Hiro, sensing his distress, moved closer to him. With his left hand he reached out and took Tadashi's hand in his. ''Everything will be alright.'' He whispered quietly against the battered flesh, placing a soft kiss on the broken skin. The older Hamada shifted again, but calmed down after a few seconds. Head falling soundlessly on the left side of the white cushion. A slight smile curled in the corner of his lips.

 

Hiro observed him, eyes tracking his bandaged face in. The doctors said that only half of his face and body would be covered in burn marks, after the healing process was over. The younger Hamada drew small circles on the back of the bruised hand of his big brother. Calming both himself and Tadashi down. A strange sensation tugged at Hiro's gut. Like he gulped a screwdriver down, which twisted in his insides. Something seemed to flicker behind him. Slowly, he turned himself around and nearly fell off the chair.

 

There he stood. Blonde hair and blue eyes almost swallowed by the amount of blood dripping from his body. He just stood there. Angst painted in his eyes as he opened his mouth. ''Hiro.'' Steven Heartnet voiced, his soothing honey-like voice cut through Hiro like a chainsaw. With fear-stricken eyes he watched how Steven reached out, wanting to come closer, as a shot echoed through the room and the tall man fell apart, into tiny bits of flesh.

 

'' Hmpfh!!'' The ebony haired boy muffled his scream by his left unharmed, biting it down, strong enough to draw blood. As the salty metallic flavor hit his gustatory nerves, Hiro almost threw up, remembering every bloody detail of the fight with the Yakuza, as well as the Cain Corporation. Hiro squeezed his eyes shut. *Not there* *Not real* *This isn't real* *This isn't real* As he opened his eyes once anew, the pile of flesh had already disappeared. A gray-blue empty hospital floor, was everything Hiro could see.

 

Nausea washed through him, with weak legs, he stood up and walked to the tiny bathroom, integrated in Tadashi's and his hospital room. Carefully, he closed the door behind him and leaned against the washing basin. He turned up the cold water and splashed it against his sweaty skin. His skin welcomed the cold water like an old friend. A friend who slowly tamed the ragging scream in his head, muting it down to a silent whispering. His trembling hand reached out and took hold on the towel hanging on his left. With deliberate motions the younger Hamada toweled his face down.

 

As he placed the towel aside, he directed his gaze straight into the mirror in front of him. Tired big eyes, underlined with a violet shadow, were starring unfocused back at him. His creamy skin was dotted with fading bruises. Under the stinging white light above him, his skin seemed waxy and lifeless. The fingerprints on his neck were still attached to his skin, like a dark ring, trying to choke the life out of him. Hiro took a deep breath and counted to ten before inhaling. He kept the air in his lungs. * One. Two. Three. Four: Five: Six: Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten*.

 

Measured, he pushed the air out of his lungs. Regaining the control over his mind as well as over his senses. He looked down at his trembling hands. The bite mark on his left hand itched. Hiro looked around. If this is truly a hospital room, then they certainly must have somewhere a few band aids in some of the shelves. After a few fruitless attempts, the younger Hamada finally found a box with six band-aids. He took the one, he needed and closed the shelf. Carefully, he unwrapped the plastic and put the band-aid on the bite-mark. Then he rolled the sleeve of his white shirt down, hiding his lapse from the doctors and the curious eyes of his friends. 

 

Then he left the tiny bathroom, closing the door behind him. With light feet he walked to his bed and laid down. In the darkness his left hand automatically searched for Tadashi's. As Hiro's hand finally met the familiar and soothing warmth of his older brother, he nearly bursted into tears. *I nearly lost him too* He thought devastated as he intertwined his fingers with the bandaged ones of his older brother. So there he lay. Holding Tadashi's hand as he starred up to the ceiling. Watching how the dark blue of the night faded into a bright yellow of a new day.  
In the whole night his eyes were only resting for about five minutes.

 

Tadashi moved, slowly opening his eyes. Hiro smiled, turning to his older brother. ''Mornin' nerd'' The younger Hamada whispered as cinnamon eyes met chocolate brown ones. ''Good morning knucklehead'' Tadashi replied, smiling weakly. Adoration shining in his eyes as he looked at his younger brother. However the adoration quickly mixed with concern as Tadashi took notice of the violet shadows under Hiro's eyes. But before he could ask Hiro about his state, the door to their room opened and a nurse walked in. Shoving in front of her a small ambulance trolley in front of her.

 

,,What a lovely morning, isn't it my wonderful patients?'' Daisy shouted happily with her shrill as she drive the ambulance trolley next to Tadashi's bed. Hiro withstood the urge to hide his poor ears under a cushion or even better throw the cushion at the nurse. However, Daisy was  
at least the only person , who didn't look at Tadashi and him with this look on pity in her eyes. Furthermore, she looked like who took speed and antidepressant everyday. Always energetic and smiling so widely that Hiro sometimes feared, her jaw was going to pop off her face, if her smile got an inch wider.

 

''Mornin' Daisy'' Hiro greeted her, while Tadashi politely nodded in her direction, before turning his gaze away. It was strange. Somehow their roles seemed reserved. Usually Hiro was the anti-social one and Tadashi was all sunshine and rainbows when it concerned talking to people. But now the only thing he managed to do was nodding. Daisy took the antiseptic into her hand. A fresh bandage and a scissor in her other, as she looked first at Tadashi, then at Hiro. Not surprising. After all, Tadashi had a panic attack the last time she tried to change the bandage, after he saw his horrific scarred skin. 

 

''Hey Daisy, I don't know much about nursing people back to health, but do you think I could help you with this bandages?'' The younger Hamada asked, concerned. Daisy looked at him, clearly in thought. ''Well, young fellow, maybe not with the bandages, but with the ointment. Ah and please, could you keep your older brother, from moving too much during the procedure?'' Daisy said, before looking at Tadashi. ''I know, the burns must itch like hell, but it would be freaking bad, if the wounds reopened...you know, I would have to face Nurse Margaret on my way for another antiseptic...and you know..nurse Margaret is a ...well a very not so nice person. Therefore..well you know what I'm getting at, don't you?'' Daisy said with a smirk.

 

''Yep'' Hiro replied. He got up and went to Tadashi. ''Well, big nerd, the faster we're ready, the faster we get to eat our lunch'' The younger Hamada stated, taking Tadashi's hands into his own, as Daisy slowly began to unwrap the bandages with the help of the scissor. Tadashi hissed through clenched teeth as the cold metal touched his heated skin. His gaze was only focused on the earnest eyes of his younger brother. *For Hiro* *For Hiro* *For Hiro* *For Hiro* He thought, as the damage of his skin was revealed further and further. Till he lay there in only his short while the marks on his face, his chest, his arms and his legs were shown visible to the world.

 

Or his world. Hiro. Tadashi knew he shouldn't feel that way, but he didn't want Hiro to see the scars. Ugly. A monster. It felt like his inside was projected outward. ''Well Daisy, could you please put a good portion of this ointment on my left hand?'' Hiro asked seemingly cheerfully, however he feared that he could hurt his older brother. Tadashi's mother hen instincts must somehow kicked in again and he looked in his eyes reassuringly, like saying: Don't worry, you won't hurt me. I entrust you with this task.

 

Understanding, the younger Hamada nodded. ''Well..it's going to hurt a little bit'' The younger Hamada said as he leaned nearer. ''Close you eyes, if you don't want ointment in them.'' He whispered. Tadashi did, what he was ordered to do. Hiro took a deep breath as he began to spread the ointment carefully on the right side of Tadashi's face. He started with the forehead, going down to the temple, making circling motions down to his right cheek, till he came across the jaw. ''Alright, you can open your eyes now, nerd.'' Hiro said with a soft smile. 

 

Tadashi's bottom lip trembled as he opened his eyes, as if he resisted the urge to scream. His eyes helplessly wandering around through the room, till they rested on the chocolate brown orbs of his younger brother. Only then, the older Hamada calmed down. But his hands clenched and unclenched in a robotic manner, withstanding the urge to scratch the itching skin. 

 

''You've almost made it.'' Hiro told him, trying to sound reassuringly, even though he knew his own voice was shaking. The nurse wordlessly gave him another portion of the ointment. Hiro took a deep breath as he slowly and carefully spread the ointment from Tadashi's right shoulder to his arm, then to his chest and a part of his stomach as well as his waist. Then he wandered down to his thigh, his knee, shin and calf. He knew, he told Tadashi that he shouldn't feel guilty about the marks on Hiro's neck or his broken right arm. However, seeing the scars, which were cruelly engraved into Tadashi's skin pushed Hiro's feelings of guiltiness to a new level.

 

A broken arm would heal. Bruises would fade. But burn marks. They would remain. *How could he be so understanding? Why didn't Tadashi hate him? Why? Why did he-* A warm sensation blossomed on Hiro's hair. ''Huh?'' He asked bewildered as he felt how Tadashi's warm hand caressed his head. Confused he starred at his older brother, puzzled by the curtain of tears draped over his own eyes, hindering Hiro to see clearly. ''Huh? I didn't even realize I was crying..'' The younger Hamada expressed, still stunned. Tadashi just smiled sadly at him and mouthed wordlessly ''Worth it.'' With his un-ointmented hand Tadashi softly wiped Hiro's tears away. The older Hamada wanted to lean forward and kiss them away, but with a glance to the side he noticed that the nurse was still in the room. And it would be too much. Too not so brotherly.

 

Nurse Daisy coughed loudly. ''Well, aren't you both brave little toasters? I'm sorry to disturb you, but the living torch here still needs his bandages.'' She exclaimed, pointing at Tadashi, the look on her face didn't show any malice. The older Hamada nodded and withdrew his hand, already missing the softness under his battered fingertips. Patiently Tadashi waited for Daisy to bandage the burnt parts of his body, turning him again to a mummy. Through the whole procedure he gritted his teeth and formed his hands into fists. He would never get used to the burning itchiness, increased by the pressure of the bandages. 

 

Meanwhile Hiro went to the bathroom and washed the ointment off his hand and cleaned his face. Heart ringing in his ears. Wondering how he could've lose control like that. He had too keep a stable appearance, in order for them to be released from the hospital faster. As he returned, Daisy was already finished with the bandages. 

 

''Sorry, for this little outburst of sentimentality'' He expressed, scratching the back of his head, clearly embarrassed. ''Don't worry little man, this was far better than any of those soap operas and drama's I watch at night.'' She claimed with her shrill but somewhat amusing voice. Hiro couldn't help but smile, because she didn't give them any strange looks and her honest nature was refreshing. ''Well then, I've gotta go. Today its my turn with serving lunch for your poor souls. It will be nothing special but...because I like both of you so much, I'm going to fulfill you a wish: What kind of snacks do you like?'' Daisy asked. 

 

''Gummy bears.'' The answer came immediately, but not from Hiro but from Tadashi. ''Well, mister, I'm glad your speaking organs function well, don't they say, you can win a man's heart through his stomach? Even if I have to admit, you don't look like the type of person with a sweet tooth, but who I am to complain? My husband looks like he just broke out of jail and yet he still begs me to bake him chocolate cake on Sundays.'' Daisy laughed. ''Well, rest assured young lads, I will personally deliver forbidden deliciousness to you.'' Daisy put her right hand in a military solitude, before she waved at them and disappeared out of the room, closing the door behind her.

 

Hiro turned his head to his older brother. ''What do you think? Can we keep her?'' He asked jokingly. Even if he still had the violet shadows under his eyes and his skin looked pale and more bruised in the hospital clothes. Even through he had a plaster cast and a bandaged neck. He never had looked so happy the entire time they were in this hospital. His eyes were sparkling and Tadashi had to resist the little gnawing jealousy that it wasn't him, who made Hiro smile like that. 

 

But he swallowed it down. It didn't matter. The main point was that his little brother was happy. Therefore Tadashi played along and replied. ''Yes, we can keep her, but on under one condition: on Sundays we must return her home to her husband. A sugar deprived loved one can easily turn into a ruthless cookie monster and I'm speaking from experience.'' The older Hamada added with a smirk on his face. ''Haha..very funny bonehead'' Hiro replied dryly, but the smile on his face didn't waver. He secretly wished, they could have more moments like this.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there, I'm glad you chose to visit this story of mine once again :) 
> 
> Sadly, I cannot update my chapters in a proper rhythm. Or even a rhythm at all^^° But I really want to finish this story, which still has a few chapters to go. It's hilarious that this story that was supposed to have the length of six pages could even end up being 32 chapters long. °.°'' 
> 
> But thanks again for stayin' with my story and I hope you'll enjoy the following chapter. 
> 
>  
> 
> \-----

\----------------

 

He couldn't describe this feeling, which was weighting upon him. It was dark and the only sound, resonating through the room was Tadashi's even breathing. It was rare that Tadashi didn't stir in his sleep. The younger Hamada allowed himself to smile a little, as he reached out and caressed Tadashi's black hair. Even with scars covering 50 percent of his body, for Hiro, he was still the most beautiful person in the world. 

 

Suddenly, something flickered beside him. Seven corpses were standing next to him. Blood consistently seeping out, from already dead bodies. They were smiling at him. ,,Go away'' Hiro whispered quietly. Ordering himself to turn away from the gruesome images, which were starring right at him.

 

It should be absurd, how fast Hiro got accustomed to his living nightmares. This time the Yakuza were visiting him. Without blinking an eye, Hiro tugged his left sleeve up and bit the skin on his wrist, enough to draw blood. The pain made him flinch. 

 

As he turned around, the corpses have already dissolved into air. Hallucinations. Gruesome Images. The sixteen year old feared the moment, when sharp pain wouldn't be enough to keep him stable. 

 

At least it wasn't Steven this time. If it was Steven, Hiro would take a lot more time to recover, because Steven was one of the one's who liked to talk to him. And it took the younger Hamada a lot more strength to make him disappear. One twisted part of him, even wanted Steven to stay. He was the only one who knew about them and who still had protected them. He had felt like family. Family which Hiro had lost once again.

 

He sighed fatigued. His eyes were burning and itching from sleeplessness. The younger Hamada bent down to the small-sized table next to Tadashi's bed and took out a plaster from a case and attached it to his wrist, before tugging his left sleeve back in its original state.

 

''Hiro...'' Tadashi mumbled concerned in his sleep. His hands began to shake. Clenching and unclenching as if they were searching for something. Or someone. Him. A sad smile tugged on Hiro's lips, as he lowered himself on the chair next to Tadashi's bed. His own trembling hand, reaching out, intertwining with Tadashi's. ''It's okay...it's okay.... Tadashi...I'm here...'' Hiro whispered lovingly into the darkness.

 

\----------------------

 

His whole being seemed to throb immensely in pain as he took his first step. Bandaged hands automatically clenching around the medical construction which prevented him from falling down face forward on the white tilted floor of the hospital's exercise room. Another pain blazed from his right arm, up to his nervous system. 

 

He drew a long breath through his clenched teeth. Keeping his mouth shut in order not to scream. Invisible flames seemed to eat him alive. His vision blurred for a moment and he had the association that his whole world came tumbling down. With his heart beating wildly in his chest, he took another breath and moved slowly forward. The ground shook beneath his feet.

 

Like a chain reaction, one pain followed another, connected by the burn scars of his skin. The flesh underneath moved, pulling the scars together. He wanted scream, to give up and give in to the pain, but Tadashi couldn't afford to lose. The faster he could function normal again, the better he could protect Hiro. 

 

Although many days had passed since the so called industrial incident, he still had the lingering subconscious fear that somebody wanted to hurt his little brother.

 

''I know you can do it Tadashi'' Hiro declared reassuringly, smiling up to his older brother from the other side of the room. The younger Hamada was standing right behind the instrument, facing Tadashi. Still wearing the white hospital clothes. With his right arm still in a noose, his left arm was reaching out to Tadashi.

 

His chocolate eyes were only fixated on him. Affection was shimmering in them. His whole stance was signalizing his unbreakable trust in Tadashi. As if he was convinced with his whole being that Tadashi could make it. And the older Hamada knew, if he showed the present medical assistant his progress, he would confirm to release Hiro and him faster from the hospital. 

 

In fact, they already stated, Hiro could go home, but the younger Hamada declined saying that he was the only one who could cope with Tadashi's panic attacks and Tadashi was the only one who could cope with his. 

 

Thankfully Dr. Clinton let him stay, but Tadashi feared that this couldn't go well for long. As a medical student he knew, in a matter of time, new patients will come and they will be in need of Hiro's place. Then even Dr. Clinton is bound to let Hiro go home, without him. Tadashi clenched his teeth. He couldn't let this happen. Without Hiro, he would snap.

 

Tadashi took a deep breath, reminding himself of the reason behind his will, and took another step forward. Another step into Hiro's direction. He gasped in distress, the pain was overwhelming, but he could control it. Tadashi knew he could. He had to. He took another step forward. His bandaged hands clenched the wooden bars violently. His face contorted into an image of sorrow. 

 

The medical assistant, standing five feet away from Hiro, was writing something down on his clipboard. The older Hamada clenched his teeth.

 

''Tadashi'' The younger Hamada pronounced his name. Worriedly, Hiro glanced at his older brother. ''You know...you don't have to overwork yourself... right?'' He expressed, eyes filled with worry. '' You can try it again tomorrow, you know? Just don't push yourself too hard..''. Hiro bit his bottom lip. His tooth gap became visible.

 

''I know'' Tadashi replied weakly, smiling. He took a deep breath and concentrated only on the lithe figure in front of him. Sweat drops were falling down his body as he took another step into Hiro's direction. One barbarous inhuman pain came and was replaced by another much crueler, but he took another step. And another. Never averting his eyes from the goal, which was standing in front of him. 

 

He took another step. And another. Driven by thought of wanting to protect, wanting to stay by his side. Hiro's side. His whole body was screaming, but his mind was ironed with a resolve, made of steel.

 

And suddenly he was there, on the other side of the medical construction. Before Tadashi could gather his breath, he was pulled closer by Hiro's unharmed arm. ''Tadashi, you made it! I knew it! '' Hiro smiled like a light beam, as is eyes looked up to his older brother. Practically sparkling. Then Hiro wrapped his silky arm around Tadashi's back and rested his forehead softly against his broad chest.

 

''You nailed it! You totally nailed it... I knew you would. '' Hiro whispered happily through the rough white material of Tadashi's hospital cloth. ''Yeah'' Tadashi answered quietly, unable to say anything else. Only focusing the calming presence of his little brother. Slowly, he withdrew his hands from the wooden bars and hugged Hiro, softly back. Ignoring the medical assistant, who was scribbling something new on his clipboard.

 

,,Achem!'' The medical assistant coughed slightly. ,,I'm sorry to interrupt you, Mr. Hamada, but I have a few question about your current health condition, before I can accompany you both back to your room in order to rest.'' 

 

Tadashi scowled. Hiro withdrew himself from his older brother, yet he still stood so close to him that their shoulders were touching. His shoulder brushed reassuringly against Tadashi's. ,, Alright'' The older Hamada stated ,,Go ahead''.

____________

 

Hiro and Tadashi were back in their room. It was already evening and Daisy had already visited them with delicious goods, which she smuggled into the hospital. She was like a second aunt Cass. Sadly, their aunt couldn't visit them everyday, because the Lucky Cat still needed the handling. But she already told Hiro and Tadashi that their friends helped her out.

 

The younger Hamada lay next to Tadashi. ,,Thanks'' Hiro whispered into the silence. ,, I know, you are holding back. It must still hurt like hell and I..I can't even do a thing to help you. Maybe we could ask aunt Cass to bring Baymax with h-''

 

,,No'' Tadashi interrupted him expeditiously, but then noticing Hiro's reaction, his voice turned softer. ,,Baymax can't fix this one buddy. I should know.... I invented him. There isn't any update which will help me better than the current hospital treatment. Even if it sickens me to wake up in this awful white painted room '' He replied more steadily. ,,I know, you're sick of it, too. Just wait a little. Soon I'll be running like a pro. And we'll be home. Everything will be normal again'' 

 

Tadashi pulled his lips to a smile as Hiro snuggled closer. ,,Almost'' He added faintly.

 

,,I'm sorry, Dashi'' Hiro whispered. Tears prickling behind his eyes, as he once felt the weight of his own decisions weighting upon him. ,, If I hadn't...If I just didn't...I...I ...I shouldn't have...and...'' Hiro felt like a new panic attack was taking its hold on him. 

 

,, Psss...Everything will be alright. Everything will be fine Hiro. I'm here. I'll protect you.'' Tadashi held him closer, but made sure Hiro's broken arm wasn't lying uncomfortable. ,,You need to rest...I know you haven't been sleeping regularly, yes I'm not stupid, genius. Of course I noticed the big-ass bags under your eyes.''

 

Hiro giggled unwillingly. ,,Swear jar'' He only whispered against Tadashi's chest, while averting his eyes. Not wanting Tadashi to notice exactly how little sleep, he had gotten the last  
few days. Tadashi moved his hand to his hair and started to caress the back of his head. ,,I know.....but now sleep. I'll take over this night shift of yours.'' The older Hamada stated earnestly, while he continued to caress the back of Hiro's head. Knowing, it would be only a matter of time, till Hiro fell asleep. 

 

,, But I'm absolutely not sleepy at all.'' The younger Hamada stated with conviction, suppressing the yawn, which was trying to escape his throat. ,,Yeah, yeah..and I'm as healthy as a horse.'' Tadashi replied, smiling, still caressing the back of his head. Remembering the movie nights, which he and Hiro had before everything started. 

 

Before this shady Royal Masquerade. Before the voices. The killing. Violet Green...and especially the want. The yearning. The older Hamada shook his head slightly. Pushing the thoughts away, while he continued to fondle Hiro's soft ebony colored hair.

 

After a few minutes, in spite of his previous protests, a soft snoring filled the room. Hiro's chest was moving steadily up and down, while Tadashi continued to stroke his hair tenderly. Secretly, the motion also helped him to get a hold of himself. After the death of his and Hiro's parents, the younger Hamada often crawled in Tadashi's bed at night, not knowing how to fall asleep. Now retrospectively, the older Hamada knew that Hiro had been always a big part of his mental health. He was his reason to life and his will to strive for a better future. And after the events-

 

Tadashi didn't want to think about it anymore. He wanted to forget. Everything. His deep brotherly affection had long turned into something darker. A clinging obsession and a craving, which still gnawed at his insides wherever Hiro was out of arms-reach or wherever someone else got too close to him. Doctors. Nurses. Hell! Even as aunt Cass hugged him, he felt hot boiling anger underneath his skin.

 

He desperately tried to restore the innocence of their bond. Knowing it would be the best for Hiro, if he'll just forget about everything, which had occurred. Yet, he still couldn't forget the intimacy that they unknowingly shared.

 

,,Ta..dashi..'' Hiro mumbled softly in his sleep. Unconsciously snuggling closer to the older Hamada. Tadashi's heart melted almost instantly at the adorable sound of his younger brother, whispering his name in his sleep. He knew, something was wrong with him, but in moments like this, he thought selfishly: 

 

Who care's?

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Everything was plunged in friendly orange colors. The younger Hamada was sitting on his bed and tinkering on one of his inventions with his screwdriver. A weird calmness was residing in his heart, as he kept working on his bot. His right hand was not covered in bandages. All of it seemed so surreal. ,, Hiro?'' Aunt Cass appeared in the door frame. ,,Dinner is almost ready and Tadashi should be home soon.'' She smiled before, she disappeared behind the door.

 

This was weird. He couldn't be back at the Lucky Cat that quickly...or could he? Dr. Clinton said after all, he would sent them both home, if Tadashi managed to walk on his own for at least ten minutes. The younger Hamada shook his head. No...something wasn't right. He looked around. Everything looked normal to him. 

 

Hiro knew, he was dreaming the moment his older brother walked in their room. Unscarred. Wearing the cap, Hiro bought for him. Cinnamon brown eyes were gently looking at him, as he walked towards Hiro. ,,Ta..dashi?'' He called out, putting his new bot aside. But Tadashi only smiled and ruffled through his hair. 

 

Out of the blue, the grip on his hair increased and his head was being smacked against a cold surface. The scenery changed unyieldingly fast. Instead of Tadashi, Yama was smiling down at him, greedily licking his lips as his slimy eyes wandered up and down Hiro's defenseless body. Hiro tried to break free, but suddenly sweaty hands were everywhere and held him in place. 

 

,, Let me go!'' Hiro yelled. But his demands were only met with sardonic laughter. As the yukky hands continued to touch his skin. A bile of nausea almost escaped Hiro's throat. A nightmare. This is only a nightmare. This isn't real. They're dead! The younger Hamada tried to wriggle himself free. But he couldn't, no matter how hard he tried. He had to wake up. Come on Hiro! Wake up! Wake up!

 

,,Hey, guys, isn't he a pretty little thing?'' Suddenly Jeff Scofield appeared on the right side of Hiro's vision. Simon was on the other side. The twins were smugly grinning at him. The cold metal of guns was pressed to his scalp, as parts of his clothes were falling on the concrete. ,,I'm sure this beauty will make us feel good real soon, don't you think guys?'' Jeff asked into the small crowd, circling Hiro. Gluttonous expressions appearing on their faces. 

 

The realization of what was about to happen hit Hiro like a train. No. Just don't. ,,Tadashi! TADASHI! Help me!'' He screamed, trashing against the strong hold. His right arm was burning. Tears were unwillingly falling down his face. Just a nightmare. Just a nightmare. Everything was just a nightmare. This isn't real. Hiro closed his eyes. Wake up, Hiro! You need to wake up!!

 

Hiro squeezed his eyes shut. Gun-shots and screams reverberated throughout the alley. As he opened them again. Dead bodies were lying on the floor, painting the concrete in red colors. Tadashi was standing in the middle of the corpses, wearing a black raven mask. For a moment he only stood there, only looking at Hiro. Then he walked towards him and took of his black shirt, placing it over Hiro's bare shoulders. Cinnamon eyes glowed tenderly behind the mask. ,, I'm sorry'' Tadashi whispered, before he turned away and disappeared

 

,,WAIT!'' Hiro reached out, trying to get a hold on him, but his fingers grazed air. Before Hiro's mind could proceed any further, the scenery changed instantly again. He was standing in some sort of Colosseum, filled with white dressed people, which were cheering for him. ,,Hiro! Hiro! Hiro!'' 

 

Hiro gulped. Violet Green appeared, standing on a tribune. ,,Like Abel and Cain. And my sister and I. You'll have to kill to stay alive!'' She announced, laughing with a shrill voice, before her gaze turned cold again and she took a seat. A seat made of Steven Heartnet's body parts. ,,Hiro..run..'' The chair made of flesh whispered. Ocean blue eyes, blinked at him, behind Violet Greens shoulders.

 

,,Hiro! Watch out!'' Tadashi screamed. The younger Hamada ducked his head on the right moment. The fist of his older brother missed Hiro by a few inches. Tadashi was wearing the white clothes of the Cain Corporation, his eyes we're wide open, as he stormed towards Hiro with clenched fists. This time, Hiro couldn't react fast enough. ,,Kill him! Kill him! Kill him!'' The crowd was shouting as Tadashi pressed his hands around Hiro's neck. Tears were streaming down his face. 

 

Hiro couldn't breathe. A nightmare. This was just a nightmare. He needed to wake up! This isn't real! This isn't Tadashi!! Wake up, Hiro! Wake up!! The younger Hamada squeezed his eyes shut once again. As he opened them, the pressure on his neck was gone. It was dark once again and Hiro lay on his stomach. The broad chest underneath him, moved in a steady rhythm up and down. The scent of lemons mixed with mint hit his senses.

 

,,Hiro, are you alright?'' Tadashi whispered in the darkness. 

 

Relieved Hiro turned his head up 

 

and screamed.

 

Tadashi's face was a bloody tattered mess.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Hysterically, Hiro trashed back and forward. Struggling against Tadashi's hold. ,,Hiro! Wake up! Calm down Hiro! You're only hurting yourself! I'm here! It's a dream!'' The older Hamada tried to calm him down, but his little brother was trapped in his nightmare, continuing to fight against an invisible force in his head. ,,No! No! Let me go! No!! Please! Make it stop! Please! TADASHI!!'' 

 

A scream of pain interrupted Hiro's throat as his eyes bounced from left to right, up and down, unfocused. trembling with fear. Through their embrace, Tadashi could feel Hiro's hectic heart beat against his chest. Like a caged bird. Experiencing one panic attack after another.

 

It shredded Tadashi's heart to pieces to see him in such a state. He needed immediately to calm him down, before he injures himself any further. ,,HIRO! Listen to me! Come on..Hiro..please '' Tadashi cupped his face with his bandaged hands and pulled him closer. He looked straightly into Hiro's big chocolate colored eyes, which were clouded with fear. Still moving uncontrolled from left to right.

 

,, Hiro! I'm right here! Look at me! Hiro...please..'' Tadashi softly bumped his forehead against Hiro's. Whispering the words against his lips. For a moment, the older Hamada feared that his brother would still be out of reach. Lost. Gone to a place beyond reach. A place where he couldn't follow.

 

And the thought broke something inside Tadashi. Tears we're falling down his cheeks. Sending two rivers of fire down his face. ,,Dashi?'' Hiro mumbled faintly. His heart was still beating wildly in his chest. But his eyes weren't streaked with fogginess anymore. Slowly, he regained his senses. His heart beat deliberately returning to its original rhythm. 

 

,,Why..are you crying?'' The younger Hamada asked hesitantly. Disoriented. Tadashi immediately ripped his eyes open. ,,Hiro?'' He tenderly called out. Hiro's uninjured hand reached out and softly whipped away Tadashi's tears. Confused, he looked from his finger tips back to Tadashi. The hospital lamp was illuminating his skin. Cinnamon eyes were looking at him in relief, through his half bandaged face.

 

Hiro's heart skipped a beat. Slowly his left hand traced over the bandaged skin. ,,Tadashi...are you...the real one?'' The younger Hamada questioned haltingly, tilted his head slightly to the side. ,,Out of all the rooms I've been in tonight, this one is far the most realistic one. And you. You are the most realistic version of Tadashi.... I've met tonight. Not unscarred. Not wearing a mask. Not attacking me against your will and not...not bleeding.'' 

 

Hiro inspected him closer. ,,Please tell me...are you the real one? Are you my Dashi?'' His voice wavered. ,,Please tell me, I think ...I couldn't handle it...if I...I-'' Tadashi wrapped his arms around Hiro delicately and pulled him closer. ,,Of course I'm real!'' he stated, full of conviction. ,,What's Hamada rule number zero?'' Tadashi asked Hiro out of the blue. 

 

,,Hamada brothers always stay together'' The younger Hamada whispered in the crook of Tadashi's neck. ,,You...you really are...'' Hiro couldn't suppress the tears, falling down from the corner of his eyes. ,,This means...I really....woke up'' He nuzzled Tadashi's neck. ,,Thank god...but wait- something is still fuzzy in my head..I ..I need to know-''.

 

,,Tadashi...Steven....Steven is dead. Real or not real?'' The younger Hamada asked.

 

Tadashi looked at him carefully, before he answered. ,,Real''

 

,,Violet Green.....she is still alive. Real or not real?''

 

,,Not real'' The older Hamada replied.

 

,,We....we killed those people Tadashi. Real or not real?'' He asked. 

 

,, Hiro...those...those....weren't people'' The older Hamada replied.

 

,, Except Steven....'' Hiro whispered.

 

,, Yes, except Steven'' Tadashi expressed, pulling Hiro closer, slowly rocking him back and forth. ,,You know..after this night, I won't allow myself to fall asleep again.'' Hiro stated determined. ,, Don't worry... we can stay awake together'' He said. 

 

The older Hamada hummed softly a melody of their childhood. ,,I don't know what you saw in your nightmare Hiro...but please believe me, when I say that I'll always be with you, to catch you, if you fall and to ease your sorrow.''

 

Hiro smiled softly. ,,I know''

 

Silently they rocked back and forth. Tadashi continued to hum him old lullaby’s. 

 

,,Tadashi...do you...do you see their corpses, too?'' Hiro asked suddenly.

 

Tadashi didn't utter a single word. Instead he continued to softly rock him back and forth, like Hiro was six years old again. His shaking, bandaged hands increasing their hold on Hiro, was his only answer. His thumping heart beat resonating in Hiro's own chest. 

 

Slowly, calming him down.

 

\--------------

 

The doctor and the detective faced each other in the office once again. They were standing in front of the window. An already cold coffee was standing five feet away on the table. The man with the white beard looked mournfully at his undrunken coffee. With a heavy sigh, he turned his attention back to the detective, who had an apologetic look on his unshaven face.

 

,,I'm deeply sorry Dr. Clinton, but I have strict orders to interrogate the Hamada brothers today. The higher ops have set the deadline. In addiction, the media is fueling people's minds with ideas of upcoming danger. Creating unnecessary chaos. If I could, I would interview them much later, but I don't have the freedom of movement and choice to do so. And as I heard, their injuries are healing much better than anticipated and-''

 

,,Detective Katashi'' Dr. Clinton interrupted him. ,,Some injuries are much worse than others. Physically, you're right. The Hamada brothers indeed show a strong will to regain their original health. But psychologically...'' 

 

Dr. Clinton looked out the window and twirled his beard. ,, Well, I'm sure you already heard the term post traumatic stress syndrome, short PTSD. Sleep deprivation, panic attacks as well as constant fear are only one of the symptom’s, which make the victim's life harder...'' He explained.

 

The look on the older man's face hardened. ,,I already know that I can’t keep them away from you for long. And I also don't want the media to disturb the recovery of my patients, but don't you forget one thing: One false question and you'll make them experience the feeling of pain and helplessness anew. Don't try to make them remember something forcefully. Psychological scars are not something you should play with.'' Dr. Clinton stated.

 

The Detective looked like he bit a bitter lemon. ,,Dr. Clinton... you should know me better than that.... than worsening the lives of the Hamada brothers. I also want to protect them. But I also need to understand how many strings are attached to the incident, because I will be responsible, if something of this caliber was bound to happen again.'' The detective rubbed his temples. 

 

,,The accident happened two weeks ago and I can't hold the higher ops on a tight leash for much longer. If they don't get their information till 7 pm, they'll going to take it by force. And I can say with conviction: I detest their methods.'' 

 

Detective Katashi starred at the window. ,,I'll do everything what's in my might in order to help the Hamada's live a normal life. I won't pass their identities to the media..I just need information about the circumstances, which lead to the incident.'' Detective Katashi massaged his scalp. He didn't sleep long today either. The case kept him awake.

 

,,Alright, you can interview them'' Dr. Clinton agreed. ,,But under one condition. You will interview them together. Not alone. They will need each others comfort in the process of the interrogation'' Detective Katashi nodded. ,,Okay'' He answered. 

 

,,My medical assistants will prepare a room for you and the Hamada brothers.'' The doctor stated, eyes wandering back to the unattended coffee cup, still standing five feet away.

 

\---------------

 

,,Thank you for agreeing to this interrogation.'' Detective Katashi expressed, sitting across from the Hamada brothers. The room which Dr. Clinton had prepared, seemed to be a former storage room of the hospital. It had no windows. A single light bulb, hanging from the ceiling, was the only source of light. The table in the middle of the room, separated the Hamada brothers from the detective. Two folders lay next to Katashi, doubtlessly containing their medical report.

 

,,It's not like we've got much of a choice'' The younger Hamada stated dryly looking down at the folders, before exchanging looks with his older brother. With I heavy sigh, he glanced back to the detective. ,,Alright, let's get this over with'' Hiro declared. Both he and his older brother had dark shadows under their eyes and a hunted expression on their faces. Their shoulders were touching.

 

Detective Katashi had a hard time not to stare at the bandaged injuries of both of them. ,,Before, we begin this interrogation, I would like to introduce myself. My name is detective Ryuu Katashi and I'm in charge of the division nine in San Fransokyo. I'm here, because the police department as well as the media need to know, what happened on the day of the incident. As you are already aware of, during our meeting I will ask you a few questions, which I will record.'' 

 

The detective placed a small, square-shaped device on the middle of the table. ,,A Roland R-05? Hmm...old fashioned, but for sound quality this one's not bad, even if there are far more better recording devices out there right now.'' Hiro remarked, inspecting the device with his eyes. His comment caught the detective inspector off guard for a moment. 

 

,,Well...Mr. Hamada? I had this one since I started my job '' The inspector admitted slowly, unsure how to treat the individual in front of him. ,,Hiro is enough, the same goes for Tadashi.'' The younger Hamada announced. The older Hamada nodded, agreeing. But his eyes suddenly seemed to be focused on a sport behind detective Katashi's shoulders. 

 

His whole body began to tremble. Hiro placed his hand gently on Tadashi's shoulder. ,,It's alright'' He said to him quietly. ,,Not real'' He added, his hand wandered lower, grasping Tadashi's bandaged one. Intertwining their hands together. The trembling lessened a little. Tadashi's gaze turned to Hiro and his distressed look was replaced by a slightly more peaceful one.

 

The younger Hamada didn't let go of his hand, as he turned his attention back to the detective. ,,Pain, medicine and the constant fear that this building will crumble down'' he said, noticing the confused look on the inspector's face. ,,I think Dr. Clinton already told you everything there is, to our current state''. Hiro remarked. His eyes sparkling provocatively. Anger shimmering through them.

 

,,I'm sorry, I know it may be too soon..but I-'' The inspector started, but Hiro interrupted him. ,,I deeply apologize inspector, but could you just spare us the sweet talk and please get straight to business? The faster we're done, the better.'' The younger Hamada said determined. Eyes worriedly lingering on his older brother, who gritted his teeth. Fighting his physical and psychical wounds. 

 

Out of reflex, the inspector wanted to open his mouth and free another swarm of apologies, but as he noticed the tired and painful gaze of the younger Hamada, he swallowed all of the apologies down, opened their cases and only said ,,Alright.'' 

 

He pushed a button of the recording device. Then he took out one sheet of paper with his interrogation questions. ,,Ready?'' He asked.

 

,,You already know the answer'' Hiro replied, already steeling himself mentally. The detective nodded and dedicated himself to the first question: ,,How did you end up in the Cain Corporation at the time of the incident?'' Attentively, he looked at the younger Hamada, not expecting when Tadashi suddenly spoke up.

 

,,We... were invited by them.'' The older Hamada began slowly. ,,They wanted to talk with Hiro and me about...about investing in our robotic inventions.'' Tadashi scrunched his face in pain. ,,Dashi..don't force yourself'' Hiro whispered. The older Hamada smiled slightly at Hiro's words. 

 

,,It's alright...so...detective.. on the day of the incident we were present. We told our guardian that we were at a friend's place, because we didn't know yet, if we wanted to accept the offer or not....but... It was a big mistake to go there. If we knew that..that-'' Tadashi flinched and looked away. His whole body tensing.

 

,,It's alright...it's over don't worry...'' Hiro declared reassuringly, his shoulder brushing Tadashi's. ,,But please leave the next questions to me'' He stated, looking straightly at the inspector with a serious expression on his head. He nodded slightly. Signalizing the detective he could go on and ask the second question.

 

,,Why were you dressed in white hospital clothing?.. Dr. Clinton almost had a heart attack as you two arrived, fearing that a hospital had been attacked.'' Detective Katashi mentioned, trying to keep his professionalism, even if a hidden part of him, didn't want to hurt the Hamada's any further by interrogating them. 

 

Hiro took a deep breath. ,,Well...detective..we've been asking us..the same questions..over and over again...as we woke up in a white cell, tied to a bed.'' This time, Hiro shuddered, trying to push the memories of helplessness away, which he felt as Violet Green injected him with a needle, her cold face, looming threateningly above his own.

 

,,But how?..Your brother said earlier that you were there in order to consider whether to take the investment or not? How..did you end up in a cell?'' Detective Katashi asked, furrowing his brow. ,,I...don't...I don't know..it happened so fast..everything.... seemed so normal at the beginning..'' Hiro's gaze drifted away. Tadashi began to draw small circles on the back of Hiro's hand in order to give him support.

 

,,An assistant greeted us in front of the building. She led us into a white room the fifth floor. She told us.... told us to take a seat and said that the investor would soon be there. So..Tadashi and I took each a seat and then the assistant left...and ...and then...everything suddenly became dark...so dark...''

 

,,They must have let some anesthetic gas into the room...because the next time....we woke up......we woke up..alone...separated...Wearing white shirts and pants...strapped to a disgusting metal table..'' Hiro felt his voice waver at the last sentence.

 

Wordlessly, Tadashi passed him the glass of water. Letting go of his hand. Watching as his little brother drank half of it, before placing it carefully back on the table. Fearing, he might break it, if he kept it in his trembling hand for too long. His eyes slowly moved to a point on the wall. Steven Heartnet's bloody corpse was hanging on the ceiling. Blue eyes were looking at him. Hiro flinched.

 

Detective Katashi sat in silence, allowing the information to sink into his brain.. This...this was utterly unexpected. He...he never thought that...that... He shook his head trying to calm himself down. After a while he cleared his throat and looked at the Hamada brothers. The next questions unwillingly already stumbling out of his mouth. ,,What..did..they do to you? Is it connected to the marks on your neck? The broken arm? The cuts on Tadashi's feet? How..how did you escape? And did you witness the cause of that horrible explosion?'' He asked, fazed.

 

Hiro tore his gaze away from the corpse hanging on the ceiling. ,,Why? Hiro?'' The corpse whispered. Hiro blinked, disoriented. Vision blurring. Then he rubbed his temples. Trying to collect himself. 

 

,,Whoa...detective..only one question per second please'' He remarked, still rubbing his temples, already feeling a familiar nausea trying to swamp his senses. Suddenly warm trustworthy hands wrapped themselves around Hiro's trembling delicate frame. Fatigued, Hiro leaned against Tadashi's shoulder. ,,Thanks'' He mumbled.

 

,,Hiro! Are you alright? We can postpone the interrogation, I'll go call the nurses!'' The detective expressed worriedly. Standing up, ready to call the nurses. But Hiro raised his hand, signalizing him to stop. ,,Of course... I'm not alright... but don't you forget detective.. I agreed to all of this, because somebody promised me that this would be the one and only interrogation, we would have to go through. If you call the nurses now..you won't get a second chance like this'' The younger Hamada claimed determined. His tired head still leaning on Tadashi's shoulder. But his gaze was strong.

 

,, But- but how can I ask you questions when you're-!''

 

,,Ask me.'' Tadashi interrupted. ,,Hiro can rest meanwhile on my shoulder, but what he told you is valid..we both simply can't go through an interrogation a second time..I think it will take quiet a while for us to regain our psychological health.'' The older Hamada expressed while carefully put his hand on Hiro's back. The younger Hamada closed his eyes and relaxed against the well-known touch.

 

,,Detective..I want to know beforehand: Are there any more questions you would like to ask?Or would you be satisfied, if I could give you answers to the already asked four questions?'' A serious expression spread through Tadashi's eyes. ,,Hiro needs to rest properly'' He added. Protectiveness stark visible in every word. 

 

,,Just these four'' The detective confirmed. ,,After that, you'll be free of further interrogations. I promise''. The investigator tried to suppress the upcoming guilt, rising up in his chest as he watched how the younger Hamada huddled closer to his older brother. With his body trembling in fear, fear of a predator unseen to detective Ryuu Katashi's eyes. 

 

,,The first question..you asked..contained what...they did to my brother and me. The second one, involved whether it was connected to our wounds...the third one..contained how we managed to escape and the last...the last was about if we witnessed the cause of the explosion....if I recall correctly'' The older Hamada mentioned, strained. The inspector nodded slowly, as he braced himself with the worst-case scenario. Tadashi focused his attention to the glass of water before his eyes. Through his pain, he spoke:

 

,,They injected us with some sort of medication in order to stay still..people..people in white clothes came into our rooms...examining us...mumbling something about...being precious test subjects...'' Tadashi observed the glass of water. Hiro knew that this interrogation was going to occur sooner or later, because of this, he told Tadashi about leaving all the names out of their narration and telling the leading investigator only a few bits of correct information. Tadashi coughed slightly. 

 

,,After one hour they left our rooms and said that..that the real experiment is going to ..to take place in...ten minutes...I don't know..what they told Hiro...'' The older Hamada glanced at his younger brother. ,,But..one of them told me...that it would be a miracle, if both of us...will survive..'' Tadashi gulped. Looking at Hiro. 

 

,,..the medication to keep us still wore of a few moments later..and...I...only knew that my little brother was still out there..trapped in a room, similar to this one.....I tried to wriggle against the chains...realizing the graveness of our situation... .but...but the chains didn't weaken....and as the door of the room opened again...I prepared myself for the worst. But instead of a white clothed person, a man in a suit appeared...he...uncaged me..telling me..that he was going to rescue me and my brother....'' 

 

Tadashi caught the questioning glance from the detective. ,,No..he didn't tell me his name...he said it would be better..if I didn't now...'' The older Hamada averted his eyes, looking back at his younger brother. ,, He said.... he knew where they kept Hiro hidden...as we arrived..the man in the suit ...he took out two guards, standing in front of the room...as I freed my little brother...the floor began to shake...the man in the suit...told us..that we should run as fast as possible...saying we didn't have much time before the bombs went off....''

 

The inspector listened silently. Tadashi continued. ,, He said that he'll go buy us some time and told us the route..to escape....we must have took a wrong turn, because three guards we're standing in our way...luckily they didn't have guns on them...they stormed forward..I managed to knock one off, but the second one, sent me flying against the wall, I hit my head....and would be finished off...when..when..Hiro didn't throw himself on him, causing him to lose his balance...the....the third guard grabbed Hiro and threw him on the ground...and started...he started...to choke him..''

 

The older Hamada held his breath, before his eyes he saw a whole different scene. Violet Green's voice echoing through his mind, ordering him to kill his most precious person..and he, pressing his little brother against the wall, his hands strangling him. A cold shiver ran down Tadashi's spine. ,,It's alright...it's over..'' Hiro whispered against Tadashi's shoulder. 

 

Slowly, Tadashi regained his senses and continued. ,, I won the fight with the guard, that sent me flying and managed to help Hiro on the right time...a second to late and he...and he...'' the older Hamada shook his head, as if trying to push a horrible thought away. This time it was Hiro, who weakly handed him the glass of water. Tadashi gulped it all down. 

 

,,I took Hiro on my back, because he was still weak... as we were running the ceiling above our heads began to crumble...people were screaming...it felt like war..like a nightmare....like the world is tumbling down... everything was plunged in chaos...I ran like a maniac...knowing every additional bomb could mean our death...and...my mind was fueled with panic..I think..I didn't realize..that I've been running over pieces of broken glass.'' Tadashi took a deep breath, his heart was hammering in his chest as he was catapulted anew at the room of the Cain Corporation.

 

Anew he saw the blood. He watched how he took Hiro in his arms, in order to protect him from the glass of the wall, which he himself had shattered with his fists. He heard the screams. The gun-shots. Saw the Scofield twins. Watched how they were killed. He saw the exit. Saw how Violet Green pointed that pistol at Hiro's direction. And saw how Steven Heartnet took the bullet for him as he himself was ready to take the bullet for Hiro. He saw how Violet Green died one last time. He watched how Hiro tried to free Steven Heartnet from the rubble. And remembered Steven's last words, as he dragged Hiro away. He-

 

A soft hand on his cheek ripped him from his stupor. Hiro. 

 

,,Bro, come on..look at me..yes..yes like that. Now try to breath evenly. Breath in. And out. Slowly. I'm here. It's over. Look at me. It's over. We're save.'' He put Tadashi in mind of their current position. The older Hamada hadn't even realized that he had been hyperventilating. 

 

,,It's alright now.'' The younger Hamada stated reassuringly. The shadows were stark visible under his eyes. But as Tadashi looked deeper into the brown orbs in front of him, he also saw hope. Hope that they could overcome this living nightmare. Together.

 

Once again Tadashi regained his composure. He turned his gaze to the investigator, who was standing again, ready to jump out of the room in order to call a nurse. ,,It's alright..'' He stated. ,,I'm almost finished with the narration...'' Tadashi was staggered at the weakness in his voice.  
One more time, he took a deep breath, before he continued.

 

,,Right near the exit, I stumbled on a part of the ceiling, which had fallen down...Hiro fell with me...the wall beside him began to crumble...luckily I managed to grab his arm...and keep him from being buried under- but'' Tadashi's eyes darkened. ,,His right arm was hit seriously by one of the stones and caused his bones to break....''

 

,, We barely managed to get out of the burning building......the only thing that I can remember, before I woke up in the hospital, was how I wrapped my arms around my brother, shielding him from the explosion...'' Tadashi looked from the investigator to his little brother.

 

,, You know..after we've lost our parents...I couldn't afford to lose somebody dear to me again...even if it meant putting my own life on the line-''

 

,,Don't!'' Hiro screamed suddenly, shocking both detective Katashi and his older brother. ,,Don't. You. Dare. To say something like this in my presence ever again!'' The younger Hamada shouted enraged. He stood up and glared down at Tadashi. He put his shaking left hand in a tight fist. His bottom lip quivered in anger. 

 

,,DON'T YOU DARE TO ACT AS IF MY LIFE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOURS! BECAUSE IT'S NOT! YOU...YOU IDIOT! What do you think, I would do..if you died in there?!!'' He screamed. Tears collected themselves in the corner of his eyes. ,, What do you think-'' Hiro's voice grew more silent. ,, What do you think, I would do..if you suddenly left me behind? You...you-'' 

 

,,I'm sorry.'' Tadashi said suddenly, standing up on his hurt feet and wrapping his arms around Hiro. The younger Hamada weakly hit Tadashi's chest with his clenched left fist. ,, Idiot...idiot..idiot..'' Hiro muttered with each hit, as the tears trailed down his cheeks. The older Hamada caressed his head. ''I'm sorry..Hiro ...I was being egoistical...it's just..I ...I'' His voice became so silent that only Hiro could hear his stifled whisper. ,, I wouldn't be able to bear it...to lose you...I simply would go insane''

 

They stood there in silence. After a while they heard how inspector Katashi pushed one button of his recording device, before putting it back in his jacket. ,, I guess our interrogation is finished, huh?'' Hiro remarked with a weak smile on his lips, as his eyes met the one's of detective Katashi's.

 

The detective nodded, still shell-shocked about what he had heard and what he had seen during the whole interrogation.

 

,,In consequence..please keep your promise detective..and allow us to heal'' Hiro stated as one of Dr. Clinton's medical assistants led them out of the room. 

 

\------------------


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \---
> 
> Hi there :) Here we go again~ I hope you like the newest chapter, I tried to make it a little less bittersweet, but I don't know how it turned out ...well it's for you to read and judge, have fun.
> 
> \------

\-----------------

 

,,I'm glad my college boys are finally back!'' Aunt Cass announced happily as she served Tadashi and Hiro their favorite meal: Hot chicken wings with fried rice. They smiled at their aunt. Yellow-brownish fingerprints were stark visible on Hiro's neck and his right arm was still in a noose. 

 

Thankfully, he didn't have to eat with chopsticks, so therefore he could eat with his own strength. Not needing to rely on neither aunt Cass nor his older brother. He already relied, especially on him, too much. Half of Tadashi's body was still covered in bandages but his smile didn't waver as he thanked their aunt for their meal.

 

The evening sun was shining through the curtains of the cuisine and some old pop song was playing low-voiced from the television, standing in the living room. They were sitting together at the kitchen table and devouring aunt Cass' delicious dinner. Everything seemed to be back in its original state.

 

Today, Dr. Clinton finally set them free. Only telling them to be careful and to look out for each other. He was a good man. It was almost surreal how fast Tadashi and Hiro have been released from the hospital. Almost three days after the interrogation with detective Katashi, they were now- sitting here together at the Lucky Cat. Thankfully, it was Sunday and no costumer was around, so they could enjoy their time together without any disturbances.

 

Therefore, there were just the three or four of them- if one would take Mochi in count. And one had to take Mochi in count, since the cat was already a family member. The cat was sitting on her favorite chair in the corner of the kitchen, purring, as if it was also glad to have the Hamada brothers back again.

 

Posterior to the interrogation, Tadashi trained even harder to walk on his own again and Hiro had helped him, the best he could. Many days ago, standing was a painful experience for the older Hamada but now he could walk twenty minutes straight, only experiencing a distressing, but manageable itching, rumbling in the right half of his body.

 

,,We're also glad to be back'' Hiro declared into the peaceful sounds of clinking dishes, before taking another spoon full of fried rice in his mouth. ,,Delicious!'' The younger Hamada munched. Aunt Cass smiled brightly at his words. ,,Wait till you taste the desert! Finally, I can spoil you with my backed goods again!'' She claimed happily, turning her attention to her own plate.

 

,,I hope your desert is not too sweet...'' The older Hamada suddenly expressed worriedly. Confused, aunt Cass and Hiro stopped eating and looked at Tadashi. ,,Well...'' He continued. ,,Hiro could get tooth decay.'' He stated deadpanned, as if stating the obvious.

 

Aunt Cass and Hiro looked at each other and then back to Tadashi, then back at each other, before thy simultaneously began to laugh. ,,HAHAha~ Ha~ Ta~ha~shi hahaha~ you- hahaha~ sha~ hahaha~see hahaha~ your~ hahahaha your haha~ serious face! hahahaha!'' The younger Hamada tried to communicate through his and aunt Cass' laughing fit. 

 

,,Well...tooth decay is a serious matter.'' The older Hamada stated, still deadpanned, but with his cinnamon eyes, glinting.

 

His statement sent everyone present into another laughing fit. And after a few seconds, even Tadashi couldn't be spared from breaking into his own fit of laughter. His shoulders finally trembled with something different than fear, agony and pain. And Hiro, looking at his older brother, wanted this moment to last forever. In the past few weeks, he hadn't feel as light-hearted as he felt now.

 

They were laughing like that for a long time, till their throats began to hurt, when Tadashi suddenly stopped laughing and coughed slightly, clearing his throat. ,,But seriously genius, brush your teeth after the dessert.'' The older Hamada conveyed seriously, in a matter of fact.

 

The following laughing fit took a lot more time to fade away than the first one. ,,Knucklehead'' Tadashi mumbled, softly shaking his head, as aunt Cass and Hiro finally got a hold on themselves. Then he turned his attention to the unattended food on his plate and finished his meal. 

 

The right half of his body was on flames once again, but he pushed the pain steadily aside. Glancing at Hiro from time to time, with a smile on his face. Even smiling didn't hurt as bad after seeing how much his younger brother enjoyed himself.

 

A piece of fried rice stuck on Hiro's chin. Automatically, the older Hamada reached out, in order to brush it away, but suddenly his vision blurred and he saw two familiar hands, which wrapped themselves around Hiro's neck, strangling him. Tadashi stopped in his tracks. His hand froze in midair as his body began to tremble violently.

 

Before aunt Cass could comprehend what was happening, the younger Hamada was already standing, placing his left hand gently on Tadashi's face. ,,Pschhhh...Tadashi...dashi..look at me..'' The younger Hamada whispered emphatic, reassuringly. His sweet yet spicy scent waved through the older Hamada. ,,Pschhhh...it's not real....'' 

 

Tadashi blinked disorientated, as the last shards of the gruesome image began to fade from his vision and was replaced with Hiro, standing next to him, his lithe hand, softly touching Tadashi's face. The gentle pressure and the warmth were balm for Tadashi's heart.

 

,,Hiro?'' Tadashi uttered haltingly. The younger Hamada nodded tenderly. Then he turned his attention to their shell-shocked aunt. ,,I'm sorry aunt Cass...it's fine now. Don't worry. Everything will be alright... Tadashi will be fine.'' He claimed smiling as he withdrew his hand from Tadashi's bandaged skin and sat down next to his older brother, their knees, brushing under the table. 

 

Tadashi's wild-beating heart was slowly easing and beating almost normally again. The contact with Hiro helped him to remember that everything was over. Some days, the warmth of his younger brother was the only thing which felt real. Under the table, Hiro's left hand slowly intertwined with Tadashi's, lightly squeezing their hands together, before letting go, indicating something. 

 

The older Hamada finally took notice of their troubled aunt, who looked like she was lost. ,,I'm..I'm sorry aunt Cass..somehow..I..I just...need..time'' He finally managed to say, his voice out of tune, still a bit unsteady.

 

,,My poor boys...'' The frizzy haired woman expressed, worry stark present in her emerald eyes. Under the light-bulbs of the kitchen, she suddenly looked older than she really was. ,,Tadashi...do you need to rest? Pain-killers? I can prepare your bed if you want and-''

 

,,And miss out on the infamous dessert? No. I'm going to stay here, aunt Cass.... and besides: Didn't we want to watch the movie Spirited Away together? On the couch, I can rest plenty. Don’t worry aunt Cass'' Tadashi announced, his voice growing steadier with every word. 

 

,,I'm feeling much better now.... This was just a little relapse. Nothing to worry about.'' The older Hamada conveyed, smiling at his guardian, noticing the doubt still lingering in her eyes. Tadashi's and Hiro's knees were still touching under the table, the gently touch transformed Tadashi's smile into a real one.

 

,,Thanks, knucklehead'' Tadashi whispered, ruffling Hiro's hair. The younger Hamada beamed at him, the piece of fried rice still stuck to his chin. Big chocolate brown eyes met cinnamon brown one's. Unable to suppress another grin, the older Hamada reached out and wiped away the fried rice with this thumb. ,,Still the same genius with a big brain- I see'' He expressed jokingly, resisting the urge to put the rice corn in his mouth, instead he flicked it away.

 

A slight blush was appearing on Hiro's cheeks, but he collect himself quickly. ,,Still the same nerd- I see...'' The younger Hamada replied challenging, before his hand suddenly reached out and took something from Tadashi's cheek before he put it in his mouth. A rice corn. Tadashi's heart skipped a beat. This time not caused by daily nightmares.

 

,,Hi...Hiro?'' The older Hamada stuttered a little, lost. A soft blush appeared through the not bandaged skin of his face. Tadashi suppressed the urge to touch his cheek. ,,Hmm..the undeniable flavor....'' Hiro stated, tilting his head to the side in a thoughtful manner, before nodding professionally. ,, the undeniable flavor of total nerdiness''. He finished.

 

,,Herewith I, Hiro Hamada, the emperor of gummy-bears, affirm your newfound level of being a nerd. Raise yourself!..... Tanerdshi!'' He announced solemnly, easing the last awkward feelings, clinging to Tadashi's chest. The older Hamada growled playfully, before he played along. ,,Then I, Tanerdshi of the nerds, affirm the increase of your knuckleheadness!'' 

 

,,Knuckleheadness? Is this even a word?'' Hiro questioned, before he giggled, turning his attention to aunt Cass. ,,I think, I'm totally ready for the dessert! What kind of delicious baked good did you create this time, aunt Cass? I think the big nerd here-'' Hiro pointed deliberately at his older brother. ,,-Has a greater sweet-tooth than he tries to make us believe!'' He stated daringly. 

 

,,I have not!'' Tadashi expressed pouting, crossing his arms. It looked funny, since Tadashi was built broad-shouldered and was a head taller than his younger brother. ,,Is this all you have to say? And what's up with this gesture? You're supposed to be the older sibling!'' Hiro mentioned sassy. His eyes were glinting playfully at his older brother.

 

Aunt Cass, witnessing the scene before her eyes, was now smiling with relief. Everything was alright now. It was probably naive of her to expect that they would act normally after everything they went through. Besides Dr. Clinton had mentioned the effects of the post traumatic stress syndrome. Regarding this, they were handling it perfectly. Tadashi was right, as was Hiro. They both just needed some time. The frizzy haired woman stood up and went behind the kitchen counter in order to fetch the dessert from the oven.

 

As she placed the backed goods on Tadashi's and Hiro's plates, the younger Hamada gasped out ,,Cinnamon rolls! Aunt Cass yo'ff 'ffe befft!!'' The younger Hamada called out happily, already taking bites from the cinnamon rolls in front of him. ,,Yes, thanks aunt Cass'' Tadashi expressed, while he also took a bite from his own dessert.

 

Hiro was just about to devour his third cinnamon roll, as he noticed something strange. ,, Aunt Cass! Don't you want to eat at all?'' He asked, looking at the empty plate, before his aunt. She was only holding a tea cup in her hands. ,,I've been already stress-eating a lot, the last few weeks, therefore I have declared war on my fat hips!'' She announced smiling, taking another sip of her tea.

 

Both Hamada brothers could guess why, she had been stress eating, but both decided not to comment on it. They just wanted to forget everything, which was connected to the incident- or the incidents- how Hiro secretly called them. Therefore, Hiro's brain was already searching for the next phrase that could help them to avoid the black listed topics, but the aunt Cass preempted him.

 

,,You know..it's really a shame that you didn't want me to contact your friends. Gogo, Wasabi, Honey Lemon, Fred and Akira have been really worried about you two.'' The frizzy haired woman expressed. The older Hamada gritted slightly his teeth as Akira's name came up. Thankfully, no one noticed. 

 

As a result aunt Cass continued to talk. ,,We could have celebrated your hospital release all together! They all missed you a lot!'' She stated, but then noticing the slight tremble of Hiro's shoulders she added ,,But maybe you're right and it would be better if you would celebrate with your friends after your recovery'' She mentioned, taking another sip of her tea. Hiro was glad that she didn't said 'until your psychologically more stable.

 

,,You know, the past few days, two of my best part-time workers had to stay home during illness and I would've been unable to visit you both back then, without the help of your friends. They really were really a big help here in the Lucky Cat Cafe. Thanks to their commitment, our Cafe-shop could survive even last Saturday- and you both know how busy Saturdays can be.''

 

Hiro and Tadashi nodded. On Saturdays both of them mostly help their aunt with the Lucky Cat, because it was the busiest day of the week. Hiro once had pegged it would be Monday, because he knew, people needed caffeine to star their engine, especially after a short weekend. And weekends seemed always to be too short.

 

Aunt Cass continued to speak, as Tadashi and Hiro were finishing their last cinnamon rolls. ,,Especially, Akira helped me a lot. He was here almost everyday, asking about your condition. He was helping me with serving dishes and washing plates. Most of the costumers, also took a liking in him, despite his appearance. Hiro..I'm really glad, you've found such a reliable friend like Akira. He is a really good person, he-'' As aunt Cass went on about praising Akira, a shadow slowly fell on Tadashi's face.

 

The older Hamada knew the reason behind Akira's commitment. It was all just a strategy to get closer to his little brother. He was not blind. Tadashi noticed the looks and glances, Akira had been sending in Hiro's direction. Eyes practically undressing him. As aunt Cass, went on about Akira and about how charming he is, the older Hamada gritted his teeth. He couldn't stand him. Especially, when he was near Hiro. He-

 

,,Tadashi is everything alright?'' Once again chocolate brown eyes were starring worriedly at the older Hamada. Tadashi gulped slightly. Feeling how his anger almost instantly melted away, as a squirming warm fluttery feeling spread through his chest. Aunt Cass had stopped talking.

 

,,Are you feeling pain? Should I run to our room and get your pain killers?'' The younger Hamada suggested, his tooth gap showing. This damn cute tooth gap, Tadashi coughed slightly. 

 

,,No..there is no need. I just remembered something unpleasant. Everything is fine.... knucklehead'' The older Hamada answered, as he placed his hand softly on Hiro's fluffy head and tenderly ruffling his hair. And his answer wasn't far from the truth, he had remembered how Akira looked at Hiro with his eyes, staring at him, like he already belonged to him. 

 

*An unpleasant memory, indeed* He thought. Tadashi shook the thought away and kept stroking softly Hiro's hair. The scent of something sweet and yet spicy drifted through Tadashi's senses, acting like morphine, as he kept caressing Hiro's hair. 

 

Relief spread through the younger Hamada's face, as his eyes didn't find any sign of pain on Tadashi's face or his body gestures. Contently, he smiled up to Tadashi, enjoying the warmth of his palm on his head. Feeling how the gently touch breezed through his senses. He yawned. Making him sleepy. ,,Aunt Cass...I think, we're ready for the movie'' The younger Hamada stated yawning. 

 

,,Of course! I'm sorry for talking so much, not noticing how tired you must be!'' She expressed, while she stood up and began to collect the plates on the table. As Hiro reached out to collect the cups, Tadashi leapfrogged him and took the cup out of his uninjured hand. ,,Hey-! Not fair, I wanted to carry it by myself!'' The younger Hamada uttered. 

 

,,Too late knucklehead, besides with that broken arm of yours? No way genius!'' Tadashi declared, before his placed the remaining table ware in his strong arms, going behind the kitchen counter and helping aunt Cass placing forks, spoons, plates and cups into the dishwasher, as their aunt closed the machine, she turned to the Hamada brothers.

 

,,Are you sure, you don't want to rest?'' She stated, noticing how tired both of them looked. ,,Watching a movie, is resting!'' The younger Hamada replied. ,,Besides Spirited Away is one of Tadashi's and my favorite movies, therefore don't worry, on the couch, we can rest plenty!'' He declared.

 

,,Alright then.'' Aunt Cass mentioned, defeated, yet smiling. ,,I'll prepare the popcorn and you'll go prepare the DVD player, I'll be with you in a minute! Get ready to taste popcorn which will get your face melted!'' She stated, happily, turning her attention to a shelf, standing right next a fridge.

 

,,Well, Tanerdshi'' The younger Hamada expressed. ,,Let's get going, the movie is waiting!'' He stated excitedly, heading for the living room. The older Hamada followed him with a smile on his lips, ignoring the flickering image of a bloody corpse, leaning on the door-frame, pointing it's bony finger accusingly in his direction.

 

,,Get away'' He whispered, as he passed the corpse. ,,Tadashi? Did you say something?'' The younger Hamada turned around, he was kneeling on the floor, putting the DVD into the player. The television screen flickered, before the DVD cover became visible on the screen. ,,No. Nothing.'' Tadashi answered, trying to sound nonchalantly. Big brown eyes seemed to look exactly through Tadashi.

 

Suddenly, Hiro was standing a breath away from Tadashi. A warm hand was placed on Tadashi's cheek. ,,You're a bad liar, you know Dashi?'' The younger Hamada whispered. Hesitantly, Tadashi's own hand came up and was placed softly on top pf Hiro's. ,,It was worth a try...wasn't it?'' He stated weakly.

 

,,No...it wasn't...you forget...I..I see them, too...Right behind you...I can see her...she is holding a...a gun...to your head....and..'' Hiro took a deep breath. ,,It's not real...it's not real- Automatically the older Hamada placed his hands tenderly around the lithe frame of his little brother, pulling him towards him. ,,Everything will be alright...we're going to make it, remember? She is dead....it's over...everything is over..'' Tadashi mumbled, rocking them tenderly back and forth.

 

The younger Hamada wrapped his arm around Tadashi's back, pulling them even closer. The scent of lemons mixed with mint waved through his nose. Hiro took a deep breath, before he released it, slowly. ,,How...come..every time...when I try to comfort you...you end up comforting me?'' Hiro whispered against Tadashi's blue shirt. 

 

,,It's because...your comforting gives me strength....strength which apparently even can last for both of us.'' The older Hamada whispered softly against Hiro's ebony colored hair, as he hugged him closer. Hiro could hear Tadashi's beating heart through the material of his shirt and the bandages beneath.

 

,,You know....it's nice..not to be surrounded by this sick white color anymore...'' Hiro whispered. ,,Yeah..I know what..you mean..and finally this obnoxious hospital scent isn't present anymore'' Tadashi added, continuing to rock them back and forth. ,,Finally, I can smell your sweet yet spicy scent without hindrances'' The older Hamada expressed, closing his eyes in comfort. Not knowing that he said his thought out loud.

 

Hiro's hear skipped a beat, he turned from white to red in one second. ,,Ta..Tadashi? What?!'' A fluttering feeling skimmed through the younger Hamada. Tadashi ripped his eyes open, realizing that he just pronounced his thought aloud. His heart hammered in his chest. ,,I...I..you...I..you know..this..this...is just...ehh...is-'' He tried to reason his action, but Hiro placed his hand on Tadashi's mouth, muffling his voice, hindering any other sound from coming out.

 

,,Lemon'' Hiro whispered weakly, his heart throbbing in his chest. Confused, the older Hamada looked down at his younger brother. Question marks practically shinning in his eyes. ,,Your scent'' Hiro answered almost out of breath. Blushing. ,,Lemon mixed with mint- I ...I missed to smell your scent too..'' He admitted burying his red face into Tadashi's shirt.

 

It took Tadashi almost seemingly eternity to comprehend Hiro's just said words. The ability to breathe just left him for a moment. He almost lost the competence to stand, almost staggering, feeling like his heart jumped out of his chest and jumped off a window. Dragging all of his brain functions along with it. 

 

Looking down, he saw how Hiro clutched at his shirt. His body trembled and the tips of his ears were red. Face still hidden in Tadashi's shirt. From embarrassment. ,,Hiro'' Tadashi said hoarsely, leaning down in order to place one light kiss on his forehead. ,,Ta..Tadashi?'' The younger Hamada stuttered looking up to his older brother.

 

The sight, which greeted Tadashi was breathtaking. Hiro's eyes were glinting in an intense chocolate color and his skin was flushed from embarrassment. His mouth was slightly open, revealing his for Tadashi breathtaking tooth-gap. Hiro was absolutely mesmerizing. Tadashi was completely lost. He gulped, before he bit his bottom lip. This was too much. His body was on fire and this time not in pain. His heart was resonating in his head. Hazy big chocolate brown eyes and muzzy cinnamon brown eyes seemed to drown in each other. 

 

Slowly, Tadashi bent down to-

 

,,Tadashi! Hiro! The popcorn's ready!'' Aunt Cass shouted from the kitchen. The Hamada brothers parted like lightening, like being hit by flashing thunder. With pupils wide, they looked at each other, realization of what their were just about to do, slowly dawning to them. ,,Yeah! Thanks aunt Cass!'' Hiro replied loudly, trying to drown out the loud beating of his heart, which still kept pounding in his ribcage.

 

He turned away. He didn't want to look at Tadashi. Fearing that his older brother would still be looking at him with this feverish expression on his face, which just had turned Hiro's knees to jelly. Instead he took the remote control, lying on the couch, into his hand and adjusted the settings of the movie. His heart was still restlessly hammering against his chest. He sat down on the corner of the couch, waiting for aunt Cass to arrive. Suddenly, he felt a warmth presence next to his own. The younger Hamada didn't even need to turn his head, in order to know who it was. His scent was already revealing him. Tadashi.

 

,,I'm sorry...I..I didn't know..what-'' The older Hamada started but Hiro cut him off, interrupting him. ,,It's..it's nothing..just forget it'' Hiro replied quietly, eyes still directed at the screen in front of him. His face still felt hot and he knew himself that it wasn't ''nothing'', but he couldn't deal with this. Not now. It was too much. 

 

Tadashi was silent. Guilty, he looked at his bandaged hands. *I don't know what came over me...I'm-..I scared him...* The older Hamada looked at his palms. *How..how could I?...He..he was just comforting me and I...I acted like a-*

 

,,I'm here!'' The frizzy brown haired woman stated, switching the light switch off, before she sat down next to Tadashi, holding a bowl of popcorn in her hands, her sudden appearance, shaking the older Hamada out of his trance. ,,Perfect...I just thought about what would my life be without popcorn!'' Hiro expressed jokingly, still avoiding to look at Tadashi. 

 

And somehow this act alone, hurt the older Hamada more than the burn marks on his skin or the stab wound on his leg. It hurt more than the cuts on his feet. ,,Well then, start the movie.'' Aunt Cass commanded. The younger Hamada obeyed, pressing the play button on his remote, leaning back on the couch, still avoiding Tadashi, creating as much space between them as possible.

 

It hurt. It hurt so much. This pain of being unable to reach out to his younger brother made it for Tadashi even harder to breathe. ,,Here'' Aunt Cass said smiling to Tadashi, as she handed him the popcorn bowl. Confused, he took the bowl out of her hands. ,,Don't forget..I'm on a diet'' She whispered back as the movie began and the opening scene appeared on the screen.

 

Still confused Tadashi stared at the bowl in his hands. With a swift motion, the younger Hamada grabbed a few popcorn corns and put them in his mouth. Eyes still fixated on the screen. The older Hamada relaxed a little. At least Hiro wasn't avoiding him completely. They were both tired. It's not like he hated him. The older Hamada thought.

 

Sheepishly, almost shyly Tadashi moved closer to his younger brother, reducing the space between them. Their shoulders touched. Tadashi's breath hitched. *Maybe it was too much?* He thought. But despite his worries, the younger Hamada didn't flinch. Instead he wordlessly, lay his head on Tadashi's right shoulder and took more popcorn corns into his left hand, before placing them in his mouth. Quietly eating. The light of the television was mirrored in his chocolate brown eyes.

 

Tadashi felt like he could breathe again. Slowly, the knot in his chest eased. He didn't hate him. No, Hiro didn't hate him. The older Hamada allowed himself to relax. Dr. Clinton released them only from the hospital today, so of course they were not in their best condition to function normally again, this, whatever this was what had occurred, it was temporary. 

 

But what was 'function normally' for him? For both of them? Being strange. Being different. That was their 'normal'. So how can they achieve something, which they even never had from the beginning? Tadashi's head started to hurt. Suddenly, the younger Hamada shifted beside him, his left uninjured hand took Tadashi's right hand and placed some popcorn corns into his palm.

 

Like he was saying 'less thinking, more eating'. The older Hamada had to smile at this gesture. With just one motion and the swirling storm in his heart was calmed down to a soft breeze once again. Tenderly, his right hand closed around the popcorn corns in his palm, as he lifted his hand up and opened his mouth. Placing the corns between his teeth. Munching. It tasted delicious.

 

Tadashi moved his eyes to the television. As one image was replaced with another, he took another hand full of popcorn into his right hand. Feeling how his heart fluttered like a bird as his and Hiro's hand brushed. They were all silent throughout the movie. Expect for Mochi, who was purring in aunt Cass' lap. Everyone was tired and they all wanted to focus their attention onto something else.

 

After thirty minutes of the movie, Hiro wanted to grab another handful of popcorn, but instead he noticed that the bowl was empty. The younger Hamada wanted to withdraw his hand, as Tadashi suddenly placed his warm big hand on his lithe one. Like a blanket, not doing anything. 

 

The younger Hamada turned his hand around, so that their palms were touching. A soft fire danced between their palms, sending tiny electric spars to their spines. Then Hiro opened the space between his fingers and allowed Tadashi to intertwine their hands together. The calming warmth of his hand, was soothing, but at the same time causing his heart to leap in his chest. 

 

Just ten minutes before the ending of the movie, Tadashi's right shoulder began to grow heavy and he felt how the hold of Hiro's hand, weakened in Tadashi's own. He knew instantly that the younger Hamada must have felt asleep. He leaned his cheek against Hiro's fluffy ebony colored hair. Enjoying hearing a soft snoring sound, coming from Hiro's mouth.

 

As the movie credits began to roll down the screen, Tadashi placed the empty bowl on the table standing next to the couch. Aunt Cass stood up and wanted to turn the light switch back on, but Tadashi interrupted her action. ,,No, don't turn the light on Aunt Cass, Hiro is sleeping.'' He whispered vehemently, as his eyes pointed at the younger Hamada, sleeping on his shoulder.

 

,,Alright, so I better won't wake our little genius..'' She replied quietly. ,, Should I help you to carry him upstairs?'' The frizzy haired woman asked, worriedly glancing at their bandaged wounds. She made action's to brush away a streak of Hiro's hair, which was covering his face, but Tadashi out of the blue slapped her hand away.

 

Shocked, Aunt Cass looked at her older nephew. For a moment, she thought that pure anger was painted in the eyes of the older Hamada, but as she blinked the image faded, and the old cinnamon eyes were looking at her, with a guilty expression on his face. ,,I...I'm sorry aunt Cass...I...I ..thought you were...'' He shook his head. *A threat* He thought, but he didn't say it out loud.

 

,,It's okay. It's alright'' She said hesitantly, while brushing her wrist. Still shocked, she glanced down at her hand. Still not comprehending what just had occurred. There was no way that her caring older nephew would look at her with such a murderous intent... It must be part of the trauma. 

 

,,Let me at least help you with the doors'' Aunt Cass stated suddenly, looking at her nephew with a smile on her lips, shaking away her thoughts. *I act ridiculous. Dr. Clinton warned me about the the possible outcome of PTSD* 

 

,,I'm sorry'' The older Hamada whispered again, as he turned his attention back to Hiro and carefully placed his arms around his little brother in order to pick him up. As he stood up, he felt how an agonizing pain shot through his burns, pulling and eating his skin. It felt like he was flayed alive. He gritted his teeth together, as he shot a quick controlling glance to their aunt.

 

If she would notice his pain, she would definitely not allow him to carry Hiro back to their room. And somehow his insides churned with the thought to let somebody else touch his precious little brother. Tadashi knew, somewhere in the corner of his mind that his actions were selfish and unrightful. Their aunt had - as Hiro's guardian- also the same rights to take care of Hiro. He knew. But it still displeased him.

 

As Tadashi carefully followed aunt Cass through the dim living room. He was careful not accidentally to step on Mochi. The cat always loved to appear at the wrong place. The older Hamada passed the kitchen, the pain almost made him feel dizzy, but Hiro's warmth, radiating from his smooth skin, was everything to keep him going. Making him remember that he had something precious to carry, therefore he couldn't allow to have a break down.

 

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw how Steven Heartnet followed them. Limping. Flesh hanging from tattered burnt skin. Blood slowly seeped from the bullet wound, which Violet Green had inflicted upon him. Ocean blue eyes cautiously following Tadashi. As if they were silently telling him not to mess up and to keep Hiro safe.

 

Out of every illusion, which visited him, Steven Heartnet was to most comfortable and the scariest of all of them. He reminded him, what would have happened if he hadn't took the bullet for Tadashi and if he hadn't take care of Violet Green. He took the bullet which Tadashi wanted to take for Hiro. ,,Tadashi?'' Someone whispered in front of him.

 

For a moment, the older Hamada was confused. Did Steven talk to him? But the corpse remained silent. ,,Tadashi?'' The voice called out once again, still whispering, but a little louder. Now Tadashi noticed, how aunt Cass was standing in front of his and Hiro's bedroom, holding the door open, in order for him to pass through.

 

,,I'm coming'' The older Hamada replied finally, his voice was even weaker than he remembered it to be six hours ago. Carefully, he pressed Hiro's sleeping body closer to his chest and changed his position, before passing through the door frame, always careful not for Hiro to hit the door-frame with his head or legs.

 

Slowly, the older Hamada placed his younger brother on the bed. Cautious of his right bandaged arm, as he placed the blanket on the lithe form of his little brother. As the younger Hamada was lying comfortable, Tadashi allowed himself to relax a little. With relief, stark painted on his face, he turned his attention to his aunt, who was leaning against the door-frame. 

 

,,Thanks, aunt Cass. I really don't know what we would do without you...'' He admitted quietly with a smile on his face and guilt on his eyes.

 

,,You're welcome, Tadashi and be sure to get a good night sleep yourself and take your medicine. Good night.'' She said softly as she left the room, closing the door attentively behind her. Now they were alone. Just the two of them. Steven also had vanished. 

 

Pain was throbbing and trashing in Tadashi's body. He went to the shelf with the pain killers and took two of them, placing them in his mouth and washing them down with the water bottle standing next to the shelf.

 

Hiro's soft snoring filled the room. Tadashi's eyes wandered from right- to his bed to left- to Hiro's side. Reluctantly, with a heavy sigh, he decided to go to his own bed. The younger Hamada needed to sleep more comfortable and he wouldn't be able to, when his persisting older brother was lying next to him.

 

With another heavy sigh on his lips, Tadashi ruffled through Hiro's hair, before he made his way to his own bed. As his head met the cushion, the pain of the burns were already numbed by the pain killers. The older Hamada turned to the side. His eyes following the cherry blossom paper pattern of the paper wall, separating his and Hiro's part of the room.

 

Somehow, he always thought that this wall was out of place. Hindering him to be closer...but maybe..maybe it was for the best? Tadashi let his gaze wander to his shelf, the books, the robot parts, posters....Before he fell asleep, he allowed himself to pretend that nothing had changed. 

 

Just for a second, he wanted to pretend that nothing had happened at all. He wanted to return to the times, where he wasn't a monster. He knew, in a few days, he could take the bandages off.

 

He already feared the moment, where his change would become inevitably visible.

 

\------------------------------------------

 

The younger Hamada couldn't sleep for long, as soon as Tadashi's body warmth and his scent disappeared, Hiro was left alone with the cold all-consuming darkness in his heart. Nagging at his mind. The almost kiss. His gentle eyes. The pain. The love. Too much. Too much love. His head throbbed in pain as well as his fast beating heart. 

 

He pretended to be sleeping, knowing Tadashi would fall asleep faster this way. Behind the paper wall, he could hear how the twenty-three year old went to his bed. Probably still in pain. But the pain killers, which he took, are most likely to work in a few seconds. 

 

Hiro waited till his big brother was asleep, listening to his own fabricated snores, until Tadashi's loud one's filled the room, signalizing the younger Hamada, to stop with his simulated snoring.

 

Tadashi was asleep. Hiro carefully, turned around, facing the wall. Somehow, he was feeling cold, despite the blanket, which Tadashi had carefully wrapped around his body. He wanted to feel the warmth of Tadashi next to him again. He wanted to be closer. He wanted to be next to him. To protect. To feel protected. But how could he? How could he dare to creep into his part of their room after everything?

 

A scrupulously feeling spread through his chest, like an invisible force, trying to rip a part of his soul away. It hurt to breathe. The room began to spin before his eyes. He knew what it meant. The younger Hamada began to tremble as Steven's head fell to the ground, hitting the floor with a wail of painful. Ocean blue eyes starred at him. Lips pronouncing only one word. ,,Help''

 

Hiro bit his bottom lip, suppressing a mad scream, which was trying to burst out of his throat. He gulped it down. Forcing it to spiral down, back to his core, keeping it caged in his body. The younger Hamada felt how it surrounded his inner core. The lingering madness.

 

He almost whimpered as Violet Green appeared next to Steven Heartnet and slammed her foot down. Stomping on the head of Steven. Repeatedly. Mercilessly, looking down at Hiro, as her foot transformed Steven's head into a bloody pulp.

 

Hiro unwillingly whimpered once again, as she tilted her sickly pale head and took a step in his direction, smiling. She isn't real. She wasn't real. She was dead. Despite his knowledge, he couldn't move. His eyes were wide open, as she came closer. Smiling. He couldn't breathe. And yet he still couldn't move. His body didn't listen to the comments of his brain. No. This isn't real. This isn't real. This couldn't be real. No. This can't be real.

 

Suddenly, something flickered behind the phantom of Violet Green.

 

And a second later, there was a sharp long sword sticking out of her chest. The blood seeping out of her wound, painted her white lab coat red. With a confused look on her face, she fell face forward to the ground, disappearing, fading, like black smoke. Revealing the raven masked man, standing next to Hiro's bed, holding a sword in his left hand. 

 

In some way his presence made Hiro feel a lot calmer and his anxiety slowly faded. Finally, the younger Hamada could breathe again. His heart hammered in his chest, as he took a deep breath. For a moment he was confused, somehow the stranger reminded him of someone familiar. His presence was reassuring. This couldn't be..Tadashi? He thought, disoriented, looking at the dark figure in front of him.

 

As if he just had heard Hiro's thoughts, the raven masked figure nodded slowly, as he put his sword away and indicated him to follow him, with a motion of his arm. Despite his dark attire and the blood on his sword, the younger Hamada found his presence reassuring. The younger Hamada stood up and took a step to the raven masked.

 

The path, which the raven masked Tadashi was leading him was short and as soon as he went through the thin paper wall and disappeared, Hiro found himself standing, in front of Tadashi's bed. With no sight of his raven masked twin. *He must have vanished* Hiro thought. Strange..another illusion.

 

Tadashi's snores filled the room. Hiro looked at him. A sad smile tugged in the corner of Hiro's lips. Somehow, Tadashi was able to protect him even in his sleep. Even after everything which had happened and even in his sleep. His older brother was still snoring, but much quieter. In his sleep, he suddenly rolled to the side, creating enough room for a second person in his bed.

 

Hiro's heart stuttered in a pleasant way. Even unconscious, Tadashi was still looking out for him. With another step towards Tadashi's bed, he pushed his earlier doubts to the side, while he lifted the blanket up and lay down next to his older brother, putting the blanket above himself, carefully placing his bandaged right arm closer to his body, as he lie down on his left side.

 

Tadashi's warmth cocooned him, like a second blanket instantly. He knew, he shouldn't, but he couldn't help himself from wanting to be near him. Therefore, the younger Hamada snuggled himself closer to his older brother. 

 

Sleeping, Tadashi's face almost lost all its nervousness. Softly, Hiro caressed his dark hair, twirling a few strands of hair with his fingers. Tadashi's hair grew a little longer. Some sides were uneven, due to the impact of the explosion. Maybe he should ask Tadashi tomorrow, if he should cut his split ends? Despite the darkness, the light, coming from outside, gave Hiro enough view of the bandaged face of his older brother. 

 

He was still handsome, despite the bandages and despite the scars hidden underneath them. The younger Hamada thought. The scars were a memento of his will to protect Hiro. The younger Hamada was aware that Tadashi didn't held him responsible for his scars, but notwithstanding, he blamed himself. 

 

Although, it was currently out of place to look for culprits, because the true one's responsible were already dead. Even though constantly hunting them. Hiro focused his attention on Tadashi's even snoring.

 

The younger Hamada knew, starting tomorrow, they had about a week, to get accustomed to their old life. College exam's were still up and he still needed to finish his newest invention, even if he didn't want to, considering to what his inventions had led at the Cain Corporation. 

 

Hiro also knew it wasn't enough. Their friends would certainly want to surprise-visit them at the Lucky Cat. He had to brace himself. The younger Hamada thought, while focusing on the even sound of Tadashi's snoring.

 

Out of the blue, the older Hamada rolled to Hiro's side in his sleep, placing his chin against Hiro's head, as if telling him to stop thinking and going to sleep. The younger Hamada bit his bottom lip and stiffed a laugh, he was torn between amusement and sadness. It was like Tadashi's subconsciousness somehow sensed his presence and ordered his body to move.

 

Like earlier. The strange ghost. And him- creating enough space for Hiro.

 

The thought was so absurd. But thinking about what they had already experienced, it suddenly didn't seem as absurd at all. Hiro battled with himself for a while. Should he really be lying here so close next to him? Or should he just return to his own bed? Hiro knew, they had to get used to be normal brothers again. Well, normal for their standards. But at least he could try to- .

 

Hiro's thoughts were interrupted by a sleeping Tadashi once again, who placed his left strong arm tenderly around the slender body of his little brother, pulling him even closer to his broad warm chest. Hiro was suddenly so close that he could hear Tadashi's even heartbeat. It seemed to thumb softly against his ear. Drowsy, Hiro closed his eyes. All of his heavy thoughts dissolved into thin air.

 

With a content sigh, the younger Hamada huddled himself closer to his older brother, as he nuzzled Tadashi's crock of the neck with his forehead. Enjoying the calming warmth, coming from his skin. He relaxed against his touch and smiled, as Tadashi didn't withdrawn his hold, but instead kept it there. Keeping Hiro safe and sound.

 

,,Hiro'' The older Hamada mumbled softly in his sleep against the fluffy ebony colored hair of his little brother.

 

\----------------------------

 

,,Wake up, you big nerd!'' Hiro exclaimed while he softly cupped Tadashi's cheek with his uninjured hand. They were both lying in the bed with the sun, shimmering through the curtains. It was Monday morning and aunt Cass was already downstairs, attending costumers. Tadashi and Hiro would be normally at the college right now, but not today and not the following days.

 

,,Hi..ro?'' Tadashi asked softly, disorientated, opening his heavy cinnamon brown eyes. Everything was blurry at first, but then radiant brown eyes crystallized themselves in front of Tadashi, starring lovingly back up to him. Hiro's hair was messy and his shirt must have slid in his sleep, revealing a part of his cream colored shoulder. Tadashi gulped. Suddenly, realizing exactly how close they were.

 

Tadashi still had his arms wrapped around the lithe form of his younger brother. Bodies pressed against each other, leaving no room for even a bit of air. Their faces were in close proximity next to each other. Instantly, Tadashi's face grew hot. His heart skipped a beat, as he struggled to order his organism to function normal again.

 

,,Tadashi..are you alright?'' Hiro asked concerned furrowing his brow, noticing Tadashi's reaction. Carefully, he placed the palm of his hand against the forehead of the older Hamada. ,,Your temperature seems to warmer than normally'' He stated. ,,Are you alright?'' He asked once again.

 

,,Yeah..I'm..I'm fine'' The older Hamada managed to express. ,,Ehm..Hiro..what are you doing in my bed?'' He asked hoarsely, wanting to change the subject, trying to avoid looking at the intense shining color in the big eyes before him. Hiro turned his gaze down, withdrawing his hand from Tadashi's forehead. ,,I was feeling cold and...'' He bumped his face weakly against Tadashi's shirt, muffling his words.

 

His warm breath tickled through Tadashi's shirt, sending shivers through his spine, despite the sensation, he turned his attention to the new heard information. Hiro must have snuck into his bed at night. His own heart fluttered in Tadashi's chest. He thought that it was just a nightly sensation. He had felt Hiro's presence next to him, but he thought it was an illusion.

 

,,I understand'' Tadashi said softly, bringing Hiro's muffled sounds to an end. Hiro stopped and rose his head. Looking up his brother. A bang was hanging before his right eye. Tenderly, Tadashi brushed a streak of hair off Hiro's face. Completely ignoring the seven dead Yakuza bodies which have gathered around Hiro, forming a half circle and looking down at his little brother like he was their prey. 

 

Tadashi unconsciously increased his hold on Hiro.

 

The Yakuza didn't vanish, instead their eyes were fixated on the lithe figure in Tadashi's arms. Their gaze, hungry. Their clothes were sprinkled in blood, caused by knife and bullet wounds. Yama licked his ugly lips. Okay. Maybe Tadashi couldn't ignore it completely. His body went stiff as he growled through his teeth, eyes focusing on a point unreachable to Hiro's gaze.

 

Suddenly, the younger Hamada moved forward, using his feet to push him up in, bringing himself closer to Tadashi's line of sight, hindering him from looking at the ugly images, as he wrapped his left arm around Tadashi's back of his neck, moving own his face closer to Tadashi's ear. 

 

,,Not real'' He whispered reassuringly, as he hugged him closer with his left uninjured arm, his right arm trapped between Tadashi and his chest. Hiro couldn't even imagine, which illusions were shown to Tadashi this time.

 

The sudden hug, caught the older Hamada off guard. ,,How... do you noticed?'' He asked his little brother, his voice shivering with suppressed anger at the Yakuza, as he huddled Hiro closer and brought them both in a sitting position. Hiro leaned closer as he answered. ,,Every time, when you try to suppress pain, you are clenching your fists together and your nose is slightly trembling.''

 

,,And every time you see something horrible from THAT time....the look on your face becomes hunted and your eyes move quickly from the left corner to the right, while you try to look relaxed'' Hiro whispered in the crook of Tadashi's neck, as he placed his forehead against the bandaged skin. They sat in silence, as the older Hamada tried to wrap his head around the stated facts.

 

,,I can't hide anything from you, huh?'' Tadashi remarked indignant with a sad smile on his lips, as his strong hands cupped tenderly Hiro's face in order to look him straight into his eyes, the images in the corner of Tadashi's eyes slowly faded. The Yakuza were no more, as dissolving into the sun light, shining through the curtains. Hiro's skin felt soft against Tadashi's rough finger tips.

 

,,Ditto'' Hiro answered to Tadashi's remark, big chocolate brown eyes lovingly looking into cinnamon brown one's, as he leaned into the touch. ,,And I think....'' The younger Hamada whispered, averting his eyes. ,,The same goes for you'' He added smiling with sadness in his eyes as he slowly retreated, turning away from Tadashi's touch.

 

,,I'm sorry'' Tadashi suddenly expressed. 

 

,,For what?'' Hiro questioned confused. 

 

,,I'm sorry that I can't hide some things well enough'' Tadashi stated after a moment of silence, his gaze wandering between Hiro and the rumpled blanket between them. Together they sat on the bed of the older brother. Both lost in their thoughts

 

Hiro knew what he meant. ,,We both have to try'' He thought, but then he got a grip on himself and a smile spread through his features, he leaned closer to Tadashi and flicked his fore head with his fingers. ,,Oww..'' The older Hamada stated dumbfounded, slightly rubbing his forehead. ,,Hiro, what was that for?'' He questioned his younger brother. All of his dark thoughts vanished like the Yakuza members.

 

,,If you think too much with that nerdy brain or yours, it sooner or later is going to explode'' He simply stated, snickering. ,,Remember rule 3?'' The younger Hamada said as he lifted himself of the bed, carefully moving his injured bandaged arm in the process. The sun enlightened his skin and his whole being seemed to glow.

 

,,Hamada brothers always trust each other'' The older Hamada announced with a hoarse voice, as he looked at Hiro who turned away and searched through Tadashi's shelf, looking for his ointment. ,,Yes'' The sixteen year old answered, as he found the ointment and turned his attention back to his older brother. 

 

,,Therefore, we should trust in each others strength and abilities to overcome this...whatever this is...and this is.....now'' He said, after struggling with words, pointing between Tadashi and him, before he pointed his finger to Tadashi seemingly random spots of their room. The older Hamada knew instantly that gruesome images must be flickering before Hiro's eyes.

 

,,We..we can't let them control us any longer'' The younger Hamada expressed as his eyes rested on a persistent spot right next to Tadashi, with his strength he tore his gaze away, mumbling silently the words ,,Not real'', rubbing his temples. Then he took a deep breath and looked at Tadashi with a resolve shimmering in his eyes. ,,You and I'' He emphasized. 

 

,,We're going to make it. We're going to take back our lives'' The younger Hamada re-emphasized, determination stark hearable with every word. *Even though, I somehow can't bury my love for you* Hiro thought bitterly, as he waited patiently for Tadashi's answer.

 

Instead of words using words the older Hamada only nodded. He didn't have the same conviction his little brother had, but if it's for Hiro, it was always worth a try. Even though, he wasn't sure if being controlled was only related to the phantoms or to the moments, where they couldn't turn their gazes away from each other...

 

Tadashi knew that Hiro loved him, yet he didn't want to corrupt him. He didn't know if his love and the love of his younger brother were the same kind of deep. Hiro was right. It was too much. It would probably better to get back to their routine again. Or even try to get back to their routine again. But what was their routine? Even now, the older Hamada wanted nothing more than to wrap Hiro in his arms and to never let him go, instead he got off his bed and took the ointment from Hiro's hand.

 

,,Thanks, little bro, you're right'' He said with a gentle smile on his face as he ruffled through Hiro's hair, ignoring the softness beneath his rough hands. Then he let go. ,,I think, I'll manage to apply the ointment myself this time, scissors and fresh bandages are here, so you can go to the bathroom and take a shower'' He suggested, while trying to pay no mind to the tugging at his chest.

 

It took the younger Hamada a few seconds to accept Tadashi's willfulness to return back to their old mindset and a few seconds more to get on his attitude, adjusting his attitude with Tadashi's. ,,Are you..implying that I'm smelling?'' Hiro stated feigning shock, avoiding the hand of the older Hamada, turning away, feigning being offended, showing him the cold shoulder.

 

,,No. Yes?. Maybe? Maybe yes?'' The older Hamada expressed jokingly, while scratching the back of his head, hissing as he remembered the bandages. ,,Do you need help with the shower?'' He asked, worriedly looking at the bandages on Hiro's arm. But then he looked up and regretted his words instantly. Hiro's face was flushed in embarrassment. Even the tips of his ears were red. Tadashi bit his bottom lip. 

 

Multiple scenarios swapped through his head and he almost staggered at the sheer possibilities. Smooth creamy skin beneath his finger tips, flushed face looking at his direction as the mesmerizing creature before him, opened his beautiful mouth, revealing his irresistible tooth-gap, mouth gasping out his name. 

 

*Oh shit* Tadashi thought, this time being the one turning red, he tried to take a deep breath in order to suppress his craving fantasies.

 

,,Swear jar!'' Hiro shouted suddenly, interrupting the chain reaction of the older Hamada. ,,What?'' Tadashi expressed, stunned, not comprehending, his voice strained. ,,Why?'' He questioned, dumbfounded.

 

,,You said ,,oh shit'' out just now, therefore bro,- Hiro had to suppress a flinching as his said this word- ,,therefore put the money in the glory swear jar, I still need to buy more material for my newest project.'' The younger Hamada responded triumphantly, clearly happy with himself. Tadashi chuckled roughly. ,, And now you've said it yourself '' The older Hamada replied. ,,Accordingly to your just said words, your claim for money becomes irrelevant.'' He added.

 

,,Sorry, bro but I refuse to accept this lame excuse of yours. First in time, first in line, as they say. Therefore dear nerd: you lose'' The younger Hamada whispered sizzling, a crooked smile on his lips, revealing his tooth-gap as he walked to their shared bathroom. Leaving a baffled older brother behind. 

 

\------------------------


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~~~
> 
> Welcome back you wonderful individuals! :) First and foremost, I would like you to introduce to this awesome playlist, made by Auburn_Androse, the link is right here:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XmhSGaOH-A&list=PLVQTu9yo5iKypaJ28izy8J0Yf8UwHBIzo&index=29.  
> Check it out, it's AMAZING :D .  
> And yeah, if you have something to comment on, comment on it, feedback would be great and confirmation that what I'm doing has a purpose would be also great. :3 Anyway..enjoy the story and have fun reading it.
> 
> ~~~~
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the door closed behind him, Tadashi took a deep breath. His heart was beating loudly in his chest, as he withstood the urge to follow him. Yearning to be by his side, the older Hamada wanted to go after him. And his dilemma was not that he couldn't, furthermore his problem lay in the fact that he shouldn't, even if it was physically tearing him apart. Biting his bottom lip, he tore his eyes away from the door, while he was still longing to be by his side. To hold him. To protect. To- He pushed the feelings away.

 

His cinnamon brown eyes traveled to the large mirror on the left and his twisted feelings came to a halt instantly, the moment he saw his bandaged body with his own eyes for the first time since he leaving the hospital. The older Hamada almost couldn't believe what he saw. Tadashi knew that the bandages where covering most of his body and he still felt the pain underneath them. But seeing his form with his own eyes was still shocking. 

 

Every time, when Hiro had helped him to unwrap the bandages back at the hospital, the older Hamada had been only looking at his younger brother and not at the damaged skin. Come to think about it, maybe he had been subconsciously avoiding looking at mirrors all the time all along? And it hadn't been difficult, because his eyes had been glued to Hiro. Always. Every time. But now that the wooden door separated him from his younger brother, he was left alone with his destructed skin.

 

And Tadashi still didn't know how he looked like without the bandages. He didn't knew to what kind of extent his burn wounds went. But the bandages...he knew he had to change them and to apply the ointment on his skin. If not..well he knew from his knowledge that neglection would leave him far more scarred then he probably already was, yet he feared the moment they would become visible to his eyes. Once again, the older Hamada took a deep breath, mentally and physically preparing himself for the worst.

 

The burns on his skin began to stretch uncomfortably, as Tadashi carefully began to undress himself. Firstly, he took care of his T-shirt, using both of his hands to roll the T-shirt over his head. Even though, he was careful, the uncomfortable stretch turned into outright pain, as the skin underneath the bandages was ordered to move. He groaned in distress, putting great effort into pulling his T-shirt up. As he finally managed to place the article of clothing on his bed, he was sweating from effort and pain seemed to spread like a wildfire through his body. Unyielding and without mercy.

 

The pain overflowed his nervous system and it felt like his whole body was bursting into flames once again, as he bent down in order to undo his sweatpants. Every movement was like another explosion beneath his skin. The flames were ruthlessly gnawing at his body. It hurt. It HURT. Yet he gritted his teeth and proceeded. The bandages came down, one after another. Some of them with a sickly yellow color, others painted in spots of red. 

 

Standing in front of the mirror in boxer shorts, his eyes were still refusing to look at his own reflection. Tadashi wondered briefly, if he should leave the bandages on his body or not. If he took his experienced pain as a scale, he knew that his body would be fucked up beyond repair. But he already came this far and sooner or later he just had to take them off anyway.

 

Helplessly, he glanced back at the closed door. Tadashi could hear the sounds of water drops hitting the ground of the bathroom floor. He shook his head. No. He had to do this by himself. The older Hamada took a deep breath as he tugged at the bandage on his right arm. Taking his bandages off his body was a seemingly endless, long and painful process. But nevertheless Tadashi continued to unwrap himself. He gritted his teeth together in order not to scream. Determined, the older Hamada kept moving on.

 

The more damaged skin became visible to his eye, the more Tadashi had to pull himself together not to stare at the mirror, which stood luringly in front of him. Taunting him to look at the impacts of the explosion. Finally, the only area of his skin, which was still wrapped in bandages, was his face. With trembling hands, the older Hamada tugged at the piece of bandage on his neck. As the last bandage fell soundlessly to the ground Tadashi directed his gaze uncertainly at the mirror. 

 

Standing before the large mirror of their room, Tadashi Hamada was immensely glad that his little brother was already in the bathroom and not seeing what he was seeing right now. The sight in front of him stole him almost every ounce of air from his lungs. Ugly beyond repair. He looked like he was halfway put in a meatgrinder and then machined with a grater. Some of his old blisters have burst open again, creating new ugly marks which were adding more gruesomeness to the image in front of him.

 

Yet, his face was something which terrified Tadashi the most. When he turned his face to the left, he could almost pretend that the explosion and the Cain Corporation didn't happen. However, as he turned his face to the right, he realized that he would have to live with the repulsive memories until the day, he would die. The damage was far too big. The skin around his right eye was angry red and tattered. A tattered ugly mess. Such as his body.

 

Once again his eyes traced down the parts of his destroyed skin. A freak. A monster. Ugly. He clenched his fists together, suppressing the urge to scratch the ugliness off his skin, until his bare red non-blistered flesh would be visible to the eye. He bit his lip enough to draw blood. Chaos was trashing through his veins as despair got its hold on him. Ugly. Gross. Horrid. He was a MONSTER.

 

Even if his wounds would heal, he would still look like this. Gross. Horrid. Ugly. Deformed. He could never go back to his normal life..his routine and Hiro- if Hiro continued to be by his side, his little brother couldn't live a normal life anymore. He would have to leave him. Existing like this next to him, would only make Hiro suffer. Ugly. Ugly. UGLY. He was so- Looking like this Hiro would never- he could never- Tadashi bit his bottom lip and gritted his teeth. Ugly. Ugly. Ugly. The words drifted though his inner being like a hurricane. God...he didn't even look like a human being anymore.

 

Tadashi's vision blurred. He swallowed down the bile in his throat, stopping it from rising. He felt sick. Losing his balance, the older Hamada leaned on the mirror. His right arm resting against the cold surface, while his knees were shaking with the effort to keep him in a vertical position. Everything around him became more blurred and the room seemed to move by itself. He concentrated himself on the mirror and flinched as he suddenly saw two familiar forms manifesting themselves right and left next to him. They grinned, simultaneously. Twins.

 

Jeff and Simon Scofield looked self-satisfied at Tadashi. Blood seeped out from the bullet holes in their bodies, plunging their shredded suits in a bloody red color. They're arms were placed around his shoulder in a gleefully and disturbingly friendly manner. Tadashi wanted to rip their arms out of their bodies. And wanted to wipe away the grins on their faces with his fists. Yet he knew, he couldn't harm something, which wasn't even there, something which didn't even existed anymore, but the desire was still present. Tadashi clenched his fists together. ,,Go away.'' He commanded through gritted teeth.

 

Jeff and Simon only chuckled as their eyes trailed down the burns on his body. ,,Well..well...gettin' ugly pretty fast..Hamada''. Jeff stated with his scratchy voice. It sounded like somebody dragged their nails over a blackboard. Mischievously, they kept grinning at him. Tadashi flinched as the stench of burnt flesh hit his nose. *This isn't real. This isn't real* He thought, while he growled at them. His eyes shooting wrathful daggers at the twins. ,,Fuck. off.'' The older Hamada commanded once again.

 

,,My..my don't be like that...that's just plain rude...and I'm just statin' the fucking obvious...I mean have you looked at yourself in the mirror? Oh..wait..you already did look at the mirror...hehe'' Jeff snickered. ,,Just look at you...you look more like a bad guy than a good guy. More like a monster than a knight. Hell you look even more terrifying than the worst nightmares added together.'' He expressed, as one of his eyes suddenly detached itself from his eye socket, before falling to the ground. Landing with a sickening squelchy sound. Jeff and Simon stunned looked down at the eye.

 

,, See? Even my eyes can't bear it to look at you! Ain't that fucking right Simon?'' Jeff stated. His twin brother nodded. ,,Hehehe..but maybe we don't need them anymore..'' He added with a smirk. With their hands, the twins tore the eyes out of their eye sockets and threw them on the ground, right next to Tadashi's feet. Their eyes fell down with another nauseous sound. As if they had an independent existence, their eyes suddenly moved and looked at Tadashi. Once again the older Hamada suppressed the bile in his throat from rising.

 

Jeff and Simon leaned forward. Their eyes now empty, reminding dark all-consuming black holes. ,,The world is fucking much prettier when we don't have to look at you... Hamada.'' Jeff stated, blood was dripping from the corner of their empty eyes. ,,But..'' He continued, while looking down quiet mournfully at his eyes on the floor. ,,..sadly we can't look like that at your tasty lil' bro'' He whispered. ,,Doesn't the little one look outright mesmerizing Simon?'' Jeff asked provocatively and his twin brother nodded slowly, while licking his lips in fervor.

 

,,What do you think? Maybe we should pay the beauty a visit instead?'' He asked his twin brother, while he grinned lecherously. Simon nodded in agreement once again, his lips pulling into a vulgar smile. ,,Even though we can't see him... we still be able to feel his appetizing pretty smooth skin beneath our finger tips...and this time we'll be able to feel him from the inside out-'' 

 

Before Jeff could continue, a roar erupted from Tadashi's throat, his hands flew forward, catapulting the images of Jeff and then Simon into the wall, causing them to dissolve into air. His breath was shacking and his mind was on overdrive. They were still here. He could feel it. Something was still not right, the older Hamada sensed it tingling beneath his skin in his all consuming rage. He looked around, from left to right and then his gaze traveled down to the floor. 

 

The eyes. Their eyes. As Tadashi looked down, he noticed they were still there and kept looking at him gleefully as thy began to move, rolling to the direction of the bathroom door. *No you don't* He thought. With an angry scream on his lips, Tadashi's feet stomped down, destroying the eyes on the floor. Like their previous owner's, they dissolved into thin air. Breathing heavily from exhaustion, the older Hamada leaned himself on the mirror again.

 

He closed his eyes for a second. *It's over* He thought. Everything will be alright. Everything will be fine. It- something flickered in the mirror. Behind the glass, Jeff and Simon Scofield grinned at him, before their eyes wandered to the direction of the bathroom door. Again they grinned lecherously, licking their lips in anticipation.

 

Roaring, Tadashi slammed his hand into the large glass mirror. He felt how it broke into tiny pieces, but he didn't hear the sound of the shattering glass. His mind was still on overdrive and he felt like he needed to be ready for their next appearance. The older Hamada didn't feel the instantly broken skin on his knuckles or the ripped open blisters and old wounds. His eyes feverishly looked from left to right, searching, where they could be appearing next. His breath came in short and fast gasps, working helplessly, a machine in need for many energy in a short amount of time.

 

Suddenly, he heard a sound. Strangely it was the absent sound of water hitting the floor. Confused Tadashi looked around. Only now realizing that he was standing in front of a broken mirror. The glass shards surrounded the frame like a circle. Bewildered, the older Hamada kneeled down, his legs not supporting his weight, as he tried to collect the pieces of his sanity. He heard behind him a swear and rustling, before the door of the bathroom was pushed open and his little brother came out of the door, running towards him. 

 

His bandaged arm in a plastic bag and his towel was hanging loose on his hips. His eyes were spread open in panic. It took the younger Hamada a second to take the scenery in and another to put the picture together. He saw his scarred brother kneeling on the floor and the broken mirror next to him. Tadashi's body was trembling, his scars seemed to move along.

 

Terror was clearly written in Hiro's eyes, the water was still dripping down his skin, his bandaged arm pressed close to his body, as he made his way towards his older brother.

 

,,NO!!'' Tadashi suddenly shouted. ,,Hiro..DON'T LOOK AT ME!!'' He screamed while he turned away, so that Hiro wouldn't be able to see his face. Hiro stopped. ,,Tadashi..?'' He expressed, his mind putting pieces together, trying to understand his reaction. He took another step to Tadashi's direction. ,,No..go away!'' Tadashi voiced on the verge of a panic attack. ,,Don't look at me! Hiro..please don't look at me!'' He begged while hiding his face behind his hands.

 

Seeing his older brother in this state, hurt Hiro far more than a bullet wound or a broken arm could ever manage to achieve. Despite Tadashi's protests, Hiro moved forward, ignoring the few shards of glass, which lay in his way. ,,No. Don't! Don't look! Please! Go away! Please!'' Tadashi begged, while trying to hide his scarred form from his younger brother by pulling his knees close to his chest, as if he was attempting to make himself invisible.

 

It hurt. It downright pained Hiro to see his older brother in such a terrible state and the worst part was: He knew that the one responsible for it was none other than himself. Yet he kept moving forward. Tadashi needed him. ,,No! Don't. No.'' Tadashi kept muttering, voice growing hoarse, as he kept hearing Hiro's footsteps getting closer. ,,No Hiro..you will only hurt yourself..there is glass everywhere. Don't look. Don't look. '' He kept muttering, trembling.

 

Out of the blue, the older Hamada felt a warm silky hand on the burnt part of his back. Softly, his younger brother sat down behind him and placed his face carefully against the scarred red uneven skin of his older brother's back, nuzzling it softly like a feather. Tadashi's breath hitched. He felt incredible happiness and mind-blowing fear at the same time. ,,I can..only guess what you are experiencing right now...'' The younger Hamada mumbled sadly against Tadashi's back. 

 

''Hiro..no please..I just...just don't want you to look at me. Can't you see? I'm ugly..a complete monster. A freak! I shouldn't even be allowed to be in the same fucking room as you..I..I will ruin you..looking like this I can't even walk beside you..'' He muttered, his body trembling. But Hiro only huddled closer, turning around, he managed to get in front of Tadashi. Dumbfounded, the older Hamada could only stare at his beautiful brother as Hiro managed to get close to him. Softly, the younger Hamada broke through Tadashi's defense. 

 

Now between Tadashi's knees, the younger Hamada softly trailed down the wounds on his skin on his chest. ,, You..are my most important person..a few scars won't change a thing'' He whispered softly. ,,But..'' Tadashi countered, removing his hands from his face. ,,Look at me Hiro! Look at me...I'm ..you deserve something better..I...I thought..maybe..if I can't..if we can't...I just wanted to be by your side....I'm-'' He stuttered, feeling the soft touch of Hiro's skin suddenly on his face. 

 

,,Tadashi..listen...'' Hiro whispered determined. ,,You are... the best thing which ever happened to me..without you by my side..I...I simply would fall apart...I also just want be by your side.'' The younger Hamada said tenderly, while his hand gently traced the scar pattern on Tadashi's burnt skin. Tadashi was hypothesized. His panic finally settling down. The way Hiro's big chocolate brown eyes looked up to him. The way his lips moved when he spoke. The way his cream colored skin seemed to glow, due the water drops reflecting his skin, illuminating him. 

 

Tadashi's heart seemed to be stuck in his throat. ,,You're...beautiful....'' He breathed out haltingly, while he leaned his face against Hiro's touch. ,,So..beautiful ..but..looking like this...I don't...I'm..'' He voiced, not able to express words. Looking away. The pain in Hiro's chest increased up to an almost unbearable level. His brother was still doubting himself. What could he do to make Tadashi understand...how much he loves him and how little the scars bothered him?

 

The younger Hamada withdrew his hand from Tadashi's face. Confused, the older Hamada looked at him, with his cinnamon brown eyes, following his movements. The look on his face changed from confused to worried as his little brother grabbed a medium sized shard of glass with his hand and began to lead it up to his face. Alarmed, suddenly realizing what his little brother was up to, Tadashi grabbed Hiro's hand, stopping him from destroying his own skin.

 

,,Hiro..what are you doing?'' He questioned, voice unsteady as he tenderly took the glass shard from Hiro's hand and threw it away. Worriedly glancing at the thin line of blood forming from the palm of the hand of his younger brother. Softly he brushed it away, using his own hand. Hiro's hand was trembling in his own.

 

,,Why?'' The younger Hamada countered, his voice weak. ,,Tadashi...it's simple...it's my fault that you're like this...that you doubt yourself...it's my fault..and if I looked like you...maybe you wouldn't say such things! We would be the same...together...or wouldn't you... love me when my body would be... scarred? '' He questioned hesitantly, trembling. He didn't know, if it was from the cold air on his bare skin or the pressure twisting in his insides at the thought that Tadashi maybe wouldn’t love him. It was his fault after all that everything turned out this way. It was a thought that always kept Hiro company.

 

Waiting for Tadashi's answer was agonizing and at the process Hiro grew to understand, which feelings his older brother was going through. ,,Hiro....'' Tadashi suddenly whispered. Hiro flinched, looking away. He didn't expect an answer from his brother so soon. His body still trembled. He was afraid. ,,Hiro....look at me'' The older Hamada whispered once again tenderly, placing his hands on Hiro's face, softly coercing him to look at him.

 

,,First... don't look..now look, you need to decide faster what you want....bro'' Hiro stated unintended cockily, while his voice still wobbled, like it was balancing on a string and feared to fall down. But he still followed Tadashi's tender demand and looked up to his older brother. The sight which greeted him, made him stop trembling.

 

Tadashi was looking at him. Only him. His gaze was free from panic, uncertainty and fear. His cinnamon brown eyes practically glowed at him and his tender smile was back in its original state. The scarring on Tadashi's body hadn't changed his love for him in the slightest. Hiro was stirred. ,, Knucklehead...of course I would still love you...I'll always love you, no matter how you look...'' The older Hamada mumbled softly, wiping with this thumb a tear away that had escaped his younger brother. ,,..But just..don't go around hurting yourself...'' He added softly.

 

Perplexed the younger Hamada just stared at him. He didn't even realize the tears that were flowing down his cheeks. But he felt how they slowly disappeared, as Tadashi took them away. ,,I won't go around hurting myself....'' The younger Hamada spoke, looking at his brother. ,,...if you don't go around hurting yourself'' He continued while he purposefully pointed at Tadashi's bloody knuckles.

 

They sat together in silence. Words weren't needed. Hiro felt like a heavy weight was lifted off his shoulders and a smile made its way up to his face and he beamed at his older brother. Smiling so bright that his tooth gap was showing. ,,My precious...'' Tadashi whispered lovingly as he brought their faces close together and rubbed his nose softly against Hiro's, like he did when they were younger. A fluttering feeling nuzzled in his heart, as Hiro huddled himself closer and wrapped his still shower wet arm around Tadashi's back.

 

His cold skin felt like a blessing to the older Hamada. It soothed the burning of his skin. He stretched his arms out, before wrapping them gently around his younger brother. Tenderly pulling him closer. Placing his cold and wet skin against his own hot and burning one. Closing his eyes, Hiro placed his head on the crook of Tadashi's neck, enjoying the warmth radiating from Tadashi's skin. His uninjured hand caressed softly Tadashi's injured back.

 

,,You know..maybe you let me place the ointment on you one's again.'' Hiro stated softly, while his hand traced the patterns of the burnt skin. Tadashi nodded, before reluctantly letting go of his younger brother. Already missing the touch of his smooth skin. As he looked closer, he suddenly noticed his almost nakedness and the towel which was hanging dangerously low on his hips, the curve of his back almost showing and his-

 

,,Maybe you should dress up... genius'' He declared, interrupting his thoughts that almost went to a dangerous area. The older Hamada's voice sounded a little rough around the edges since his voice was still hoarse, caused by his earlier outburst. His face was flushed, the look in his eyes clouded. Hypnotized. He was looking at Hiro without even knowing how utterly lost he looked, standing there and biting his bottom lip, holding himself back.

 

Before the younger Hamada could stop himself, the sentence slipped from his mouth. ,,Why should I put something on, when you clearly like what y-'' Hiro cut himself off, biting his tongue. *.. you see..* He finished his thought. Eyes wide open as he suddenly realized what he had almost said, a red color spread through his cheeks. Why did he say almost something like that? For a second, he acted like back at the club, shamelessly flirting with the stranger ...a stranger that turned out to be his older brother. Hiro took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down as his gaze touched Tadashi's.

 

His older brother was only looking at him and Hiro could tell by his looks that he completely understood what he was about to say. Tadashi looked torn, battling a fight, similar to Hiro's own. ,, Sorry'' The younger Hamada finally said, regaining his composure. ,,I'm...it..must be the after effects...of the experiment...'' His lie was falling heavy from his lips and some parts of Hiro hoped that Tadashi could see through the lie, but his older brother simply nodded, as if agreeing. 

 

,,..Don't sweat it, bonehead.'' Tadashi declared with a forced smile on his lips. The words sounded almost too brotherly, they almost caused the older Hamada to throw up. But he kept the act up. ,,... Your hair is still dripping wet...genius'' Tadashi added, feeling like the old pet name was needed in this situation to stabilize it.

 

He got up to his feet and went to the bathroom, coming back with a towel, Hiro's clothes and a plaster. He lay the clothes and the plaster on the bed. Then he took the towel and placed it on Hiro's still wet hair. ,,..And I don't want you to catch a cold...'' The older Hamada continued while he began softly to towel his hair down. Big chocolate mesmerizing eyes were staring up to him and Tadashi had problems to tear himself away.

 

,,Thanks...bro'' Hiro mumbled softly, as Tadashi helped him to dry his hair. Standing close to him, he smelled it again. Mint with Lemons. Lemons with mint. Tadashi's scent waved through his senses. After a while the younger Hamada took a step back, signalizing his older brother to stop. 

 

The older Hamada understood. Hiro turned away and grabbed his clothes with one arm. ,,...wait a little..I'm going to dress myself...and then I'm going to help you with the ointment..'' He declared as he went to his own part of the room, feeling like he had to keep at least some sort of decency. The younger Hamada was careful not to step onto the few shards of glass, which lay in his way.

 

His sweat yet spicy scent was still present and Tadashi felt a little ounce of disappointment at Hiro's sudden decision to dress up somewhere else but he shook the sensation away. Hiro was right. They should at least try to- try to- It was hard for him not to stare at the slender form of Hiro's silky cream colored skin as he made his way to his part of the room, soon disappearing behind the thin paper wall. 

 

Tadashi heard the rustling of clothes and after a few moments, which seemed to stretch to eternity, Hiro finally appeared again, wearing dark blue jeans and a red top, because T-Shirts were still to complicated for him, due to his bandaged arm. Speaking of bandaged arm- the older Hamada reached out for the plaster lying on his bed and pulled the plastic off. Wordlessly, he softly took Hiro's unbandaged hand and placed the plaster on the thin red line on the palm of his hand. Gently, smiling down to him.

 

Hiro blushed slightly. ,,Thanks..'' He muttered. They stood there in silence, but before the silence could become awkward, the younger Hamada reached out and softly lay his hand on Tadashi's burning warm chest. ,, I think you should lay down.... '' He said. ,,..it will make it easier to apply the ointment.'' He added, as he saw the confused look on his brother's face. The older Hamada understood as he lay down on his back, suppressing the urge to cover his scarred body. 

 

The younger Hamada took the ointment from the shelf and opened it with one hand. He put it on the bed, next to Tadashi, before he plunged his fingertips with the ointment. Then he began gently to apply it on the burnt areas of Tadashi's body. His touch was as light as a feather and his hand wandered over Tadashi like he was something very treasured.

 

,,You know...'' Hiro whispered suddenly. ,,..You know you mean the world to me... and the world...consists of bumps and holes..'' The younger Hamada stated, his hand softly stroking his blisters and the uneven slight camber of his skin. ,,It consists of rivers and mountains'' He continued, tracing Tadashi's burnt skin. ,,You..are my compass guiding me...'' Hiro stated, as he applied the last ointment on Tadashi's face. His fingertips tenderly touching his cheek bones, his cheek and his chin. Every touch like the clapping of butterfly wings. ,,So don't think of yourself less than you are.'' The younger Hamada announced tenderly.

 

As he looked deep in Tadashi's cinnamon brown eyes, the older Hamada couldn't help himself but fall for him over and over again. ,,..that makes you my checkpoint, final destination or the whole map..'' Tadashi whispered, his own hand automatically reached out, gently touching Hiro's face, while he softly bit his bottom lip. Lost. The younger Hamada was also lost, as they looked each other in the eyes, feeling millions of sparks tingling down their spines.

 

Subconsciously, Hiro leaned closer. Cinnamon brown eyes met chocolate brown one's and he knew they were gone, the moment only one centimeter was separating their lips. Both stared deep into each others eyes, as they both suppressed a shudder, feeling their warm breath traveling between them. Only one little push and their lips would met. Tadashi felt he he was a ticking time bomb, ready to explode and Hiro was his spark.

 

He took a deep breath as he slowly brought his other hand up to Hiro's face. The Do's and Don't where practically tearing at his insides. ,,Fuuuck...'' He breathed out through clenched teeth, using every bit of his strength not to give in to his desires. It would be so easy. To easy. To fucking easy. Tadashi took another long breath as he finally drew Hiro's face close to him. But instead of lips meeting, Hiro had managed to turn his face slightly away in the last second, therefore his older brother kissed his cheek.

 

Tadashi's lips felt hot against his skin and Hiro's heart was beating wildly in his chest. Thumping like a wild animal in a cage. Trashing around. Fighting to be free. Softly, Tadashi turned Hiro's face, but instead of kissing his lips, he tenderly kissed his other cheek. The sparks were tingling through their nervous system, electrifying them in a pleasant way. Tadashi continued to brush his lips softly against Hiro's skin, lifting his face up in order to place soft kisses on his chin and then he turned his face down, smothering his forehead with chaste kisses. His actions made both their heads spin and as Tadashi felt that he was on the limit- he stopped.

 

Reluctantly, the older Hamada let go of his younger brother. He was out of breath and the desire was still gnawing, rumoring in his chest, yet distanced himself more properly from Hiro in order to think more clearly. ,,..Knucklehead... maybe you should head downstairs and see what aunt Cass is doing while I take care of the glass shards?'' Tadashi asked, his voice sounding hoarse, his hands were shaking with the desire to take Hiro in his arms once again, but he didn't. He couldn't break. He couldn't allow himself to break. He couldn't allow them to break.

 

,,..What should... we tell aunt Cass...?'' The younger Hamada whispered unsteadily, his own voice weak due to Tadashi's earlier actions. The older Hamada couldn't help but adore the way he looked. His fluffy hair was ruffled and his eyes were glinting, cheeks flushed red. He couldn't help but wonder if he also looked like that. ,,Tell aunt Cass what?'' He asked catching on Hiro's question, slightly distracted by the gorgeous rich chocolate color of Hiro's eyes. 

 

The younger Hamada chuckled. His older brother looked like he was on drugs and something inside of him fluttered at the thought that he was the cause of it. ,,What should we tell aunt Cass about the broken mirror?'' He asked, emphasizing each word, so Tadashi would have less problems to come out of his trance and understand him better. His tactic seemed to work.

 

,,Tell her..it was an accident'' The older Hamada stated finally. His younger brother nodded before he carefully retreated from Tadashi's bed, closing the ointment and placing it back on the shelf again. ,,Will you manage with the bandages?'' The younger Hamada asked concerned, glancing at the red blisters on Tadashi's body.

 

,,Yes, I will.'' Tadashi replied with a smile, his cheeks were still flushed with a red color. ,, You go ahead and grab something to eat, I'll catch up to you after I finish to take care of the bandages and the mirror '' He replied. ,,But when you go, look out for the-'' ,,glass shards, I know'' Hiro interrupted his sentence with a smile, carefully tiptoeing around the floor, flashing one last smile at his older brother, before leaving the room, closing the door behind him.

 

~~~~~

 

As Hiro made his way down to the kitchen, he tried to calm himself down. His heart still beating wildly in his chest and he still felt Tadashi's soft kisses ghosting on his skin, stuck to him like a sweet invisible promise. The younger Hamada couldn't suppress the grin from spreading through his face, yet the grin fell from his face the moment he was confronted with an old family picture. It showed their aunt, Tadashi and him, when he was six yeas old. Brothers. Right. His happiness melted away instantly and was replaced with a hollow coldness.

 

As the younger Hamada made his way downstairs, even the smell of fried bacon and eggs, emitting from the kitchen, couldn't help him to lift his mood. Yet he plastered a smile on his face. Their aunt had already too much on her plate, she shouldn't be bothered by his mood. ,,Aunt Cass, this smells amazing!'' He called out, cheerful, walking into the kitchen with a bright smile glued to his lips. He immensely hoped that their aunt didn't hear the shattering of glass or the screams. 

 

The sun was shining through the curtains and an old rock song was playing quietly in the background. Hiro furrowed his brow. Aunt Cass usually just listened to some old pop songs and not to the Rolling Stones. As he looked closer, he noticed a person standing behind the kitchen counter that didn't look like his aunt at all. First and foremost, their aunt didn't have red hair, piercings and tattoos.

 

,,Akira?!'' Baffled the younger Hamada stared at his eighteen year old friend, who was wearing gray jeans, a black sweater with a v-neck and an apron. ,,What the hell are you doing here?'' He asked his friend before he could stop himself. He was still shocked. Akira turned around and crossed his arms in front of his chest. ,,Well, that's just plain rude Hiro, here I am, working my ass off, helping your aunt and making breakfast for you and your brother and what do I get? Not even a proper greeting!'' He stated, faking being hurt.

 

,,Sorry?'' The younger Hamada expressed, still puzzled. ,,That's the spirit!'' Akira said with a grin. ,,What are you doing, standing there like riveted to the spot? Come on, take a seat, the breakfast is almost ready.'' He declared, while he turned back to the kitchen and arranged the bacon and the eggs on a plate. Hiro followed his suggestion, still not feeling like he was comprehending the situation. As he took a seat and rubbed his bandaged arm nervously, he wondered if Akira had heard the shattering mirror or Tadashi's screams, but he didn't want to bring this topic up.

 

,,Are you alright?'' The red haired asked Hiro suddenly, concern stark hearable in his words. ,,Yeah...yeah..I'm fine it's just..'' Hiro didn't know how to start. ,,The accident..I know'' Akira mentioned, while he arranged the table. ,,Don't worry, I won't talk about, your aunt already told me that it would rip old wounds open, therefore let's talk about...I don't know...my new awesome ability to cook and bake?'' He suggested, helplessly shrugging his shoulders.

 

He looked so out of it that it made Hiro snicker. ,,Hey! My new abilities aren't that bad!'' The red haired expressed sulking, feigning being hurt. It made Hiro snicker louder. ,,Well...I still don't know what's exactly so ''awesome'' about your cooking skills, since my plate is still empty.'' The younger Hamada stated boldly, indicating at the empty plate in front of him.

 

,,Feisty, I like it.'' Akira expressed, before he arranged parts of the bacon and eggs on Hiro's plate. Then he bend down like a waiter in a rich restaurant in front of Hiro. ,,Well..your majesty the dinner is served.'' He declared with the right degree of humbleness in his tone. The younger Hamada laughed at his antics, as he tried to push the upcoming guilt down, about him- forgetting completely about his friends the last weeks.

 

,,Before I test the exact degree of your so called amazing cooking skills, I just have to ask you the question that's been burning holes in my mind since I saw you in the kitchen with an apron..really that's a picture that will not leave my mind so easily.'' Hiro stated, furrowing his brow, feigning disgust. ,,Pink is definitely not your color.'' He expressed, pointing at Akira's apron. 

 

,,And back to the question, which I wanted to ask you: what are you doing here? Don't get it wrong, I like the idea of having my own personal waiter, but it's still slightly disturbing to see how well you know your way around the kitchen.'' The younger Hamada finished.

 

,,Well first...it's not pink'' The red haired corrected him. ,,The color is called róse'' He declared, pulling his eyebrows in the air, in a manner of proving his point. ,,And it's definitely my color. Look how well it goes with my hair.'' He said, while he made a funny gesture, placing his hand on his hip, like a proud photo model. It made Hiro snicker slightly. ,,But..well going back to the question...I better answer it with the beginning.'' Akira conveyed.

 

,,Two weeks ago I became worried that you didn't show up on my doorstep in order to bring me closer to the depths of the mathematical logical thinking...don't worry.'' Akira stated, noticing Hiro's guilty look. ,,You still owe me a math learning session, but luckily I somehow managed to pass the exam...well so there I was sitting in my room and asking myself where the hell you are.''

 

,,Therefore, I called your aunt, but she said that you and your brother have gone to a friend. I must admit, I felt slightly hurt but decided that you went to SFIT with your older brother. However, as I arrived there nor Fred, Gogo, Wasabi or Honey Lemon had the slightest idea where you might have been.... by the way, your friends- they are really nice guys'' Akira added. Then he looked down at Hiro's injured arm and continued. 

 

,,The next day, I wanted to pick you up from the university, but you weren't there. It was evening and even your aunt began to worry calling your friends and they ended up calling me, because I gave them my number. They thought you were with me. We were all worried and as I was just about to call the police or make an announcement for two missing douchebags that made everyone worry- and then your aunt called us suddenly, telling us not to worry and that you were in the hospital.''

 

,,Of course, we wanted to know what happened, but your aunt told us that it had to be kept a secret in order for you to recover healthily..but..after hearing about the industrial accident at some Corporation, I've put one and one together, but decided not to talk about it... Your aunt asked us for help with the Lucky Cat since her workers were out during health reasons. So long story short, we've been helping her since you've been recovering and I'm here because today is my shift and my cinnamon rolls still taste like shit, therefore I'm making breakfast, while your aunt is downstairs attending customers.''

 

,,It was irritating not to be allowed to visit you, but at least we could help your aunt and therefore indirectly help you too. And yeah..as for the 'knowing my way around the kitchen'-part: your aunt taught us here how to make stuff tasty...or well how to make stuff eatable- like I already said cinnamon rolls and me, we have still a difficult relationship. And by the way....'' Akira paused. ,,Welcome back to the land of living'' he expressed with a bright smile, ending his explanations with a grin.

 

The guilt, which Hiro felt came like a tsunami. He really had completely forgoten about his surroundings. ,,Sorry'' The younger Hamada expressed softly, feeling the need to apologize. ,, Don't worry, it's more essential that you're alright.'' Akira replied. ,,You really are a great friend'' The younger Hamada expressed sincerely. He didn't know that his friends- their friends had done so much for them. Of course, he heard everything from aunt Cass yesterday, but hearing it in personal, was something else. 

 

,,And it took only two weeks of working my ass off in order for you to notice it.'' Akira commented with a grin on his face. Then he continued. ,,If I'm really such a good friend, you should know that today the gang is planning a secret ambush on you guys downstairs in order to celebrate you liberation from the shackles of the hospital.'' The red haired declared dramatically. 

 

Hiro laughed. ,,Once again I can't say nothing but thanks. I really didn't want to go back to the hospital, because of a heart-attack.'' Hiro replied. Akira smiled at him, his eyes glued to the younger Hamada, yet Hiro didn't seem to notice the way his friend looked at him, while he trailed his eyes downstairs for the breakfast on his plate. He took the fork into his hand and was ready to lead it to his breakfast.

 

,,By the way, where is your brother?'' Akira asked out of the blue, just as Hiro was about to take the first bite. Hiro's fork froze in the midair, startled by the question, he turned his gaze up to Akira. He didn't know why but the sudden images of Tadashi's kisses winded up in his head. The younger Hamada shook his head slightly, trying to make them disappear. ,,He is upstairs dealing with the bandages'' The younger Hamada answered, hoping that his voice wasn't shaking.

 

Akira just nodded. ,,So he also got it pretty bad, didn't he?'' He asked, trying to sound concerned. ,,Yes. He..'' He paused looking down at his plate and then up again, his eyes focused in some distant direction. ,,He protected me from most of the damage.'' The younger Hamada said, the hand, which was holding the fork trembled slightly.

 

,,I'm sorry.'' Akira stated, noticing Hiro's sudden mood change. ,,For what? It wasn't you who..who-'' The younger Hamada let his sentence fade out into thin air. The following silence was like a heavy dark blanket, dampening the carefree mood. ,,You know what? Let's drop the sad topics and go to something which is more fun.'' Akira began. ,,Last week as I was attending customers...and I tripped over my own clumsy feet and the desert fell right into the face of a corpulent lady.''

 

,,And.... what's funny about that?'' Hiro asked, furrowing his brow. ,,I'm sorry Akira, but this just sounds like an old poor comedy from the 50's....you call that something more funny?'' Hiro added with a smirk, deciding he was having fun to tease Akira, secretly he was glad that his red haired friend had changed the topic. ,,Well...slow down my friend..you didn't even hear the end of my story...do I have your unyielding attention?'' The red haired asked, pulling one eyebrow up in question.

 

,,Well, if you insist, my unyielding attention is yours.'' Hiro answered with a shrug. ,,Well, the fun part started when Honey Lemon ran up to help her but tripped as well and another cake landed on the face of the same lady....hahaha..it was hilarious how Wasabi ran out to help but your aunt shushed him away, fearing he would also drop the contents of the plate, on this lady. As the female customer angrily yelled about compensation, your aunt simply stated that these cakes were on the house.'' The red haired finished, bursting into another fit of laughter.

 

This time, the younger Hamada accompanied him. Hiro laughed, he could only imagine the look of the customer as his aunt spoke those words. ,,You know, my sassyness is something I got from her, even if she likes to deny it.'' Hiro mentioned with a smile on his lips. ,,Yep, totally.'' The red haired confirmed with a grin, but suddenly his face got more serious and just as Hiro was about to ask what was going in, as he felt familiar warm arms wrapping themselves possessively around his shoulders. The scent of lemons mixed with mint drifted through his senses and he didn't need to look up in order to know, who the person standing behind him was.

 

Resting his chin against Hiro's fluffy hair, Tadashi stared daggers into Akira's eyes. ,,Akira....what a.... pleasant surprise'' The older Hamada stated slowly in a polite tone, his eyes holding the silent promise to kill. Akira gulped slightly, but he coughed it off, hiding his uncomfortableness. ,,Well if this isn't Hiro's older brother...I hope you're doing well despite this...'' Akira was visibly struggling for words. ,,...condition'' He finished, silently indicating at the bandages around his body. 

 

Tadashi knew he must make a gruesome image right now, especially since he decided not to bandage his face. The red and angry scar patterns finally also had a good purpose of scarring the trash, which dared to go near his brother. The older Hamada slightly gritted his teeth, pushing quietly the air out of his lungs, before taking another whiff off Hiro's sweet yet spicy scent. It was the only thing which kept him from attacking the red haired punk, with a kitchen knife. Hiro felt the sudden mood change.

 

,,Tadashi, I'm glad you finished to take care of the bandages in time, or I would have eaten this whole breakfast by myself '' Hiro declared cheerfully, his hand gently brushing against one of Tadashi's arms, which were still holding onto him. ,,Come on, nerd, sit down, sit down, there is still some fried bacon and eggs left. Akira is a real darling today, he made breakfast instead of our aunt today, he is a hero, saving the customers downstairs from dying certain death by his cinnamon rolls.'' The younger Hamada stated snickering, defusing the tense situation, like dismantling a bomb.

 

,,Hey- their not that bad!'' Akira called out. ,,Well, I think....'' He added, his face making a thoughtful expression. Hiro laughed again. The sound of it sent pleasant little shivers down Tadashi's spine. He followed Hiro's indirect command and set down net to him, pushing his chair close to his. ,,Well...do you think, you can trust him with bacon and eggs?'' He asked furrowing his brow in concern.

 

,,Tadashi that's just outright mean, don't you see how much he sacrificed in order to make us breakfast? Look at his apron! He even sacrificed his dignity in order to make us breakfast!'' The younger Hamada declared snickering and before Akira could counter something Hiro apologetically grinned at his direction. ,,But rest assured, these goods-'' Hiro pointed at the fried bacon and eggs. ,,are testified by me and I'm qualifying them as pretty tasty.'' he said, praising his red haired friend.

 

Akira blushed slightly. He made a dodging motion. ,,Aww...that's just the training. Well...take a bite if you dare Tadashi...'' The eighteen year old said, challenging. ,,..don't worry, it's not poisonous..'' He added with a smile. Even though, he wanted it to be. ,,Well I hope so'' Tadashi answered politely, before he took a bite from the fried bacon.

 

~~~


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~~~
> 
>  
> 
> Welcome back to 'Both a sinner and a gentleman at heart'! Thanks for the patient waiting! Thanks to readers like you the ship is still sailing xD Well..enough of the talk I want you to have much fun with my story and yeah comments and stuff..me gusta :3 And for the one's who still read it: THANKS YOU'RE AWESOME YES YOU!!!
> 
> You want to listen to music, while reading? Check out this play-list from Auburn_Androse:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XmhSGaOH-A&list=PLVQTu9yo5iKypaJ28izy8J0Yf8UwHBIzo&index=29. 
> 
> yay~
> 
> ~~~~~

After finishing the breakfast, which Akira had prepared for them, Tadashi and Hiro decided to go downstairs. They both knew, it was a necessary evil considering the fact that they both were still recovering both physically and mentally. Yet they knew, they needed to do it, because knowing their friends, either they would come down to the nerd gang voluntarily or the nerd gang would come up to them and there would be no guarantee in which state they would be in.

 

Akira told them that he would stay in the kitchen, washing the dishes, yet his eyes were still lingering on the younger Hamada like a magnet. Tadashi clenched his fists together as he shot warning daggers at his direction. With a tender motion, he placed his bandaged hand protectively on the lithe shoulder of his younger brother. ,,Maybe it's better, if they saw you first...knucklehead'' He whispered softly, indicating his younger brother to take the lead.

 

Hiro nodded insightfully, missing the warmth of Tadashi's hand as he withdrew his tender touch. He knew it would be easier for their friends, if they were to see him first. Little did the younger Hamada know that Tadashi's prior motive was to shield him from the gaze of a certain eighteen year old, who automatically averted his eyes as Tadashi put himself possessively between him and Hiro.

 

As Hiro made his way downstairs Tadashi kept his eyes threateningly on Akira. His right thumb drew an invisible sharp line from the left corner of his neck to the right corner of his neck, indicating Akira that he would slice him up, if he tried something funny. The older Hamada was quite satisfied with himself as he noticed how strongly the red haired punk flinched. This time Akira dropped his attempts to glance at Hiro and turned his whole body around, concentrating himself on the task. *Good* Tadashi thought grimly.

 

In the process of walking down the stairs, the older Hamada wondered, if the red haired punk made up some kind of strategy in order to get so close to their home. It was alarming how fast this snake had managed to slither it's way in Hiro's environment. Of course, Tadashi heard bits and bites from Hiro's and Akira's conversation. Yet, he didn't believe Akira's act, his self-created motive of his selflessness. He wasn't a good guy. 

 

At least this was something, which Tadashi's guts have been telling him the whole time. The older Hamada knew, his nice guy act was just a trick, a maneuver in order to steal his little brother. Luckily, Hiro -despite being a genius- didn't seem to notice Akira's advances. Glancing down at Hiro's defenseless lithe form, Tadashi withstood the urge to wrap his arms around him. Actually, he didn't want to face their friends. Yet it was already too late to back down as he heard the shrill excited voice of a familiar blonde chemist.

 

,,Oh my gosh! Hiro! I'm so glad to see you!'' Honey Lemon expressed loudly as the form of the younger Hamada appeared on the main floor of the Lucky Cat Cafe. Now Hiro had to withstand the urge to grab Tadashi and run back upstairs to their room. He wasn't sure, if he was ready to come face to face with them. But as he took the last step, he knew that fleeing was something that was pointless, because their friends have already gathered around the door, forming a semicircle of happy and excited faces. No chance of escaping. His instincts screamed. He felt caged.

 

Akira had been right about the surprise visit. Luckily, they didn't seem to notice Tadashi who was just four feet behind him. He still had a chance to flee. The younger Hamada could simply tell them that Tadashi wasn't feeling well and they would understand. As Hiro turned himself briefly around in order to give Tadashi a short signal to get away, the older Hamada caught his gaze and soundlessly formed the words ,,It's all right'' with his mouth, forming a crocked smile with his lips. 

 

A warm feeling fluttered in Hiro's chest. Somehow, he already knew that his older brother would answer him like that. Yet, he felt immensely assured to have him by his side. He could make it, if they would go through this together, they could be strong. Bravely, he ignored the corpses, flickering on the ground, blood, seeping from broken skin. Slowly he made his way to their friends. Holding his head up, avoiding to look down at the illusions. Luckily, Steven wasn't one of them.

 

,,Hiro!'' Enthusiastically, the blonde scientist expressed again, throwing her arms up in the air like a cheerleader as the younger Hamada was within arms reach. In a matter of seconds she took her infamous hugging stance, ready to pull Hiro into a bone-crushing hug, but luckily Wasabi and Gogo could hold her back from hugging the younger Hamada to death- or further. Subconsciously, the younger Hamada slightly patted his bandaged arm. His heart hammered wildly, as he silently congratulated himself for not freaking out.

 

,,Thanks guys, you're both a lifesaver and an arm saver!'' He stated casually with a smile on his lips, shooting glances of gratitude to Gogo's and Wasabi's direction. Behind him, he felt Tadashi's presence. He couldn't see his face, since he was behind him, but Hiro knew that he was going through a lot of mixed emotions right now. Like himself. He felt his inner struggle behind his back, like it was his own.

 

,,Well, we're here to prolong your life after all'' Gogo expressed, popping her gum at the end of the sentence. Her stance cool as usual. ,,Yes, that's what we're here for'' Wasabi expressed, feeling happy with himself that he managed to react quickly enough. ,,Really? For a moment, I thought otherwise...'' Tadashi mentioned, as he appeared on the door-frame, entering the main hall of the Lucky Cat Cafe. Shocked expression washed through the faces of the nerd gang. Honey Lemon put a hand in front of her mouth. Wasabi, Fred and Gogo just froze.

 

Aunt Cass had told them about the condition of the older Hamada, yet it was quite a shock for them. The baseball cap, which Tadashi wore, put a shadow over his scars, yet it didn't manage to hide them completely. He was wearing his old clothes again. The cardigan, his jacket, the brown trousers. It was surreal. Previously, the clothes had been like his second skin, but now Tadashi seemed like a shadow of himself. The clothes seemed to belong to a stranger, to a whole different person. 

 

The bandages were still peeking through his clothes. His shoulders were tensed and drawn slightly forward as if he was preparing for a sudden attack. And even if he tried remain calm, he still had a hunted expression on his face. Eyes slightly darting from right to left, as if he was checking for invisible enemy’s. As Tadashi took a deep breath and tilted his head up, his friends could see the full extent of the burn marks on the right half of his face. ,,Hey, guys'' He expressed, his lips pulling to a smile. It should be a reassuring one, but Tadashi knew from the expressions on their faces that his smile had quite the opposite effect.

 

,,Oh god..Tadashi...'' Honey Lemon breathed out, her enthusiasm stifled like a blown out candle. Her eyes were wide open with terror, confusion and something which the older Hamada immensely detested the moment he saw it: pity. And it was visible on everyone's face. A strange silence swapped between them. A few customers of the Lucky Cat turned to Tadashi's direction and quickly averted their eyes when he turned his head to their direction. ,,Oh man...'' Fred declared finally, voice heavy, he felt lost, scratching his head, unsure what to say.

 

,,I know..I know....don't worry. I'm already aware that I won't win a mister beauty contest this way.'' The older Hamada replied dryly. He tried to lighten the atmosphere but once again it had the opposite effect. His friends were staring at him like he as some kind of stranger. As if they didn't know how to handle this new Tadashi. Just as the older Hamada had enough and played with the thought of excusing himself and dragging Hiro along upstairs, his brother's voice cut through the silence like through butter.

 

,,Well..never say never!'' Hiro called out cheerfully. ,,Maybe not the mister beauty contest nerd, but if it's the hero contest you would win all three places!'' The younger Hamada expressed happily, nudging Tadashi softly. Chocolate brown eyes glinting at him. His gesture bought a tender smile on Tadashi's face. And for a moment the nerd gang could take a glimpse of the old Tadashi. They relaxed visibly. Their shocked expressions weakened and were interchanged with guilt about their own reaction.

 

,,Well...guys thanks for coming here and also thanks for helping aunt Cass out, we're really grateful. Although..I'm surprised that the Lucky Cat is still standing...considering your..ehmm..I'll call it creativity'' The younger Hamada stated jokingly, using the mood change in order to maintain the relaxed atmosphere. ,,Hey! How did you know that-'' Wasabi wanted to say, but Gogo elbowed him in the chest, successfully stopping his word flow. Hiro pulled his brows up in question. ,,Nope little one, trust me, you don't want to know.'' Fred answered emphatically. ,,Hey! I'm already sixteen years old!'' He expressed, pouting.

 

,,Don't worry, for us old one's, you'll always be the little one, right Tadashi?'' The ginger head expressed with a smile. Tadashi decided to play along. ,,Yeah, when I look at him, I only see this little baby which tried to built a parachute out of his diapers.'' He joked. ,,Really?'' Honey Lemon expressed. Tadashi nodded. Their friends started to laugh. The tips of Hiro's face turned red. It was almost too cute. The older Hamada thought for a moment what would happen, if he told their friends the truth about the way he saw Hiro. Like the most beautiful thing in the world and only belonging to him and no one else.

 

As their friends continued to laugh, the younger Hamada tried to hide his face from embarrassment. With his face directed to the ground, he silently cursed his older brother. Yet he was also happy that Tadashi finally could interact with them normally. With his gaze down Hiro finally noticed what their ginger haired comic nerd was wearing. This was his opportunity to direct the topic to a different direction.

 

,,Fred...my..my..aren't you just rocking this róse apron of yours?'' He called out, changing the course of the conversation. Pointing with his finger on Fred's attire. And it worked. The laughing lessened. The younger Hamada knew that Fred must have his working shift right now. Out of the blue, Hiro could hear Akira's snickering. His red haired friend appeared behind the door, casually leaning with his shoulder against the frame. With a smirk on his face, he nodded to Hiro and their friends, not wanting to disturb them, before he went to the counter in order to take Fred's shift. 

 

,,Aww..thanks Hiro, I think the color suits me definitely better than Akira!'' He expressed intentionally loudly so Akira could hear him. The only reaction which Fred got was a not so friendly hand gesture from the punk. Fred snickered. ,,It's always fun to tease him'' He expressed. ,,Well that one might be a blow for his ego since the first thing I did this morning was laughing at his outfit...'' The younger Hamada admitted. Their friends laughed. ,,Don't worry, I think his ego can take it'' Tadashi stated. ,,Guys! I can still hear you!'' Akira called out behind the kitchen counter. They snickered.

 

,,Well...all joking aside'' With a serious expression Fred turned to Hiro. ,,this apron rocks! I seriously consider to buy one for dear Alfred this Christmas'' The comic nerd stated in a serious manner, well serious for Fred's standards. ,,I think, he will be thrilled to bits! My present will definitely bring a smile to his face this year!'' The ginger haired expressed with conviction in his voice. They laughed, because they knew that Alfred- the personal butler of Fred- usually wore an expressionless expression on his face. Despite every one of Fred's hilarious attempts to make him smile, his face resembled a constant frown that had been stitched to his face. 

 

Hiro laughed along, even though the corpses still flickered on the ground beneath his feet. The only thing, which kept him from freaking out was the presence of his older brother right next to him. Glancing up to him, the younger Hamada caught the smile, tugging at the corner of Tadashi's lips. His warm cinnamon gaze rested upon him. Hiro's heart fluttered comfortably in his chest and the corpses on the ground were forgotten.

 

He directed his eyes at Fred once again. The younger Hamada almost failed to remember that the ginger head was rich, yet he kept insisting that it was his parents who were rich. Therefore -outside his home- he worked. Or at least he tried to work. The younger Hamada found it admirable that he didn't turn into one of those snobby rich guys that looked down on people- in fact everyone always thought the red haired seemed to sleep under a bridge-, Looking stoned and chilled all the time does that to a person. But who was he to talk about appearances? 

 

On his birthday party two years ago, the dinosaur lunatic proved them other wise. And he took a picture of their shocked faces and framed it in a larger version in his -filled with nerd stuff- room. It was named: my best buds and every time they visited him, he proudly pointed at it, telling them, he was happy that he finally found people who liked him for who he is and not for the money of his family. His humor was always a great distraction from dark thoughts and distraction was something which he Tadashi needed the most right now. Even though, he felt like he still wasn't ready for his former life. 

 

A warm hand on his shoulder ripped him off his thoughts. He didn't need to look up in order to know it was his older brother. Recognizing him by touch came almost automatically the last days. Their friends have calmed down. ,,Guys...why don't we take a seat?'' Honey Lemon asked smiling, after the laughing faded. ,,You both missed so much from the university so we'll keep you in the know.'' She said happily, leading them to their favorite seat in the corner of the Lucky Cat Cafe. Disturbed gazes were following them. Hiro had to suppress the urge to yell at the people who looked with shocked expression at his older brother like he was some kind of monster.

 

The younger Hamada knew that Tadashi felt the gazes too, therefore he slightly placed his hand on the arm of his older brother in a reassuring gesture as they passed the tables. Hiro could feel how tense muscles calmed under his finger tips. With a smile on his face, he let go, because he didn't want his friends to raise any questions. ,,So, here we go again! Unified once again!'' Fred expressed as he took his usual seat in the middle of the table. Wasabi and Honey Lemon sat next to him and Gogo took the seat on the right side of the table.

 

Tadashi sat down next to Gogo, subconsciously closer next to his younger brother. Their shoulders were almost brushing against each other. The older Hamada felt the urge to be as near to Hiro as possible. The glances from the few customers were really not in his favor. Some of them looked scared while others looked disturbed at his appearance. And others again shielded their children's eyes from him. He wanted to ignore them, but he couldn't. The incident with the mirror winded up in his head and he gritted his teeth. Suddenly, he felt a soft bump on his leg under the table. Hiro. Tadashi smiled.

 

Their friends didn't seem to notice the gazes though, which the customers were throwing at the older Hamada or they were pointedly ignoring them. They chatted about something meaninglessly, which didn't found it's way into Tadashi's hearing range. And it didn't matter. Nothing really mattered anymore, except Hiro. The younger Hamada slightly bumped his shoulder against Tadashi's, smiling reassuringly up to him. ,,Nerd'' He formed with his mouth. His eyes were full of adoration and Tadashi felt a soft prickling feeling down his spine. Right. It was meaningless what others thought of him. If Hiro loved him like that then he could manage.

 

The midday sun was plunging the walls of the Lucky Cat in an orange color, reflecting in the drinks of some customers, which were contained in glass. ,,Man..we we're really worried.'' Fred started. Scratching his head. His voice drifted through Tadashi like meaningless wind. ,,You know...your aunt asked us not to ask too many questions about...you know...everything which had happened...so we won't. We just want you..to know that we're here for you'' Honey Lemon continued, her voice soft and understanding. Tadashi thought about how understanding she would be, if she knew about the people he'd killed and the lust he felt for his younger brother.

 

,,Thanks..guys. It really means a lot to us.'' The younger Hamada expressed, his tooth gap showing. He bumped his leg demandingly against Tadashi's under the table. ,,Yes, we can count us very lucky to have you all'' The older Hamada stated, trying to find a way to get back to his gentle self. Trying to remain eye contact, while pretending to care. It was a hard task, because he was steadily in wrapped in the feeling that he didn't care anymore. Yet he even managed to pull off a decent smile of gratitude. He could see, it was appreciated. Hiro nodded softly.

 

,,What can I bring you, my favorite customers?'' Akira said out of the blue, appearing like a ghost next to their table. One second invisible and the next visible. Just his voice made Tadashi's hair stand on end. He detested him. Yet, he kept smiling. Smiling like a pro actor. Like the nerd gang. Akira held his head high, his back was straight, his body was signalizing that he was ready to fulfill any given task. The only thing which disturbed his graceful appearance was his apron. 

 

,,Well..something to drink would be really nice'' Wasabi expressed. ,,I think, I'll take the green tea'' He mentioned to Akira, after a few seconds of consideration. ,,Hmm...'' Akira mumbled, smiling, while scribbling down something the paper in his hands. ,,And Fredzilla over here..what can I bring such a powerful and mighty annoying dinosaur as you are?'' The red haired punk asked the comic nerd with a grin. ,, Akira..'' Fred started. ,,I somehow like you more and more by everyday and you surely know what a fine dinosaur such as myself likes....'' Fred wiggled his eyebrows. ,,A coke and a sandwich?'' The tattooed individual asked, furrowing his brow. ,,Bingo!'' The comic nerd answered with a grin on his face. ,,Noted!''. The eighteen year old expressed, writing the order down.

 

,,Mylady?'' He simply asked turning his head to Honey Lemon. ,,Well...I'd like also tea but with a strawberry cheese cake and a muffin..you know one of these blue one's...the blueberry one's... they're so sweet and fluffy! I simply can't get enough of them'' She expressed. Akira nodded with a smile, scribbling the order down. Then his gaze traveled to Gogo. ,,What can I bring the fastest and most furious woman in San Fransokyo?'' He asked. The short haired girl looked pleased, popping her gum, she said ,, Black coffee and something salty'' Wasabi looked disturbed at her direction.

 

,,What?'' She simply asked. ,,Eww...I can't understand why you always choose to drink something like black coffee...I mean it tastes just..eww and it's bad for your teeth it's- Woman up Wasabi!'' Gogo interrupted him. ,,Everyone has their own tastes and I'm also not talking about your strange fascination with this sissy drink you call green tea.'' She expressed. ,, No offense.'' Gogo said, looking at Honey Lemon's direction. ,,None taken'' Her blonde friend answered friendly.

 

Wasabi put his pointing finger in the air in order to say something but Fred interrupted him by biting his finger. ,,Ouch! What the hell man?!'' He shouted, rubbing his sore finger. ,,I Fred, the mightiest of mighty dinosaurs want to eat! And if I don't get something to eat now..I'm going for the biggest dish!'' He expressed making claw like motions with his hands in Wasabi's direction. ,,Are you...are you implying that I'm fat?'' Wasabi stated puzzled. ,,And that's the only thing you worry about?'' Gogo asked him, popping her gum. ,,Yes.'' Wasabi replied.

 

,,Hahahaha...guys I really missed you all! Hahahaha..unbelievable!'' Hiro chuckled, laughing at the antics of his friends. His whole body was shaking with laughter. Due to his actions his friends started to laugh too. Tadashi chuckled softly along, his eyes resting warmly on his little brother. And they held more than brotherly love. Only Akira noticed through. After the laughing died down, the red haired punk bent down to Hiro's direction.

 

Tadashi tensed automatically. His fists slightly shaking with the desire to met with Akira's jaw. ,,What can I bring young master Hamada here?'' The punk asked humbly, eyes sparkling at Tadashi's younger brother. He leaned closer to the younger Hamada. Tadashi gritted his teeth. It was difficult to to bash his face in. He breathed through his nose in order not to growl. Hiro slightly patted his arm. And just like that Tadashi's burning anger disappeared with a puff. He felt completely calm.

 

,,I heard from reliable sources that the hot chocolate and the pancakes today are mouth watering'' The younger Hamada stated playfully. ,,Well...I know what else is mouth-watering.'' Akira stated, wiggling his eyebrows. His eyes slightly feeling Hiro up. Tadashi growled. ,,Tadashi?'' Puzzled, the younger Hamada leaned close to him. ,,Are you alright? Do the burns hurt you again?'' The younger Hamada asked his older brother, worriedly glancing up in his direction, turning away from Akira in order to face him. This time it was Akira's turn to grit his teeth together.

 

The older Hamada relaxed. ,,Yes, a little, I'm sorry'' He stated apologetically, turning his eyes down in shame. He should be better at this. But somehow it was harder to control his temper than usual. Hiro slightly patted his shoulder. ,,Don't be. You can not be held responsible for the pain'' The younger Hamada expressed. ,,Isn't that so, guys?'' He expressed. Their friends nodded. ,,Yeah..I mean, maybe we we're also too hastily with our surprise attack'' Fred admitted, scratching the back of his head, in embarrassment. 

 

,,Thanks, guys'' Tadashi expressed. An angry look flashed through Akira's facial expression. But only Tadashi seemed to notice, because it happened so quickly. *Mine* His eyes practically screamed at the red haired punk, as he put his arm carefully around Hiro's shoulder. He would protect him. 

 

Nobody had the right to even look at Hiro that way. ,,What do you think knucklehead? Hot chocolate and pancakes?'' He asked his brother, returning to their former conversation. ,,Chocolate and pancakes.'' The younger Hamada simply replied, smiling. ,,Alright, waiter!'' Tadashi looked at Akira. ,,We'd like to order hot chocolate and pancakes please- for both of us'' Tadashi stated, his hand still resting on Hiro's shoulder.

 

If Akira was not pleased with the sight in front of him, he didn't let it seep through. Instead of fledgling his teeth or being angry, he simply smiled. ,,Hot chocolate and pancakes it is'' He simply said, scribbling something down. ,,Alright...I'll be back in a few minutes'' Akira said to everybody around. ''Fredzilla, oh mighty dinosaur please try not to eat our dear Wasabi in the mean-time or should I say in the meal-time? Haha...see you in a few minutes'' The punk joked, before he turned around and headed to the kitchen. Leaving the friends to chatter.

 

,,He's a funny guy- I like him'' Fred stated. Their friends agreed. Before the conversation could start to revolve around Akira, Hiro spoke up. ,,Well...guys.. what have we missed out in our hospital time? Was is something interesting?'' Hiro spoke cheerfully, already, missing the warmth of Tadashi's arm as he withdrew his touch. The younger Hamada knew it was necessary and yet he felt somehow naked without it. 

 

,,Well...'' Fred began. ,,First and foremost...there was really nothing special, well...until Rick the new guy, wanted to show professor Callaghan his invention. The invention was a hand clapping machine and boy- everything went fine for him..first...well that was until a poor student got too close to his machine by accident and got his-'' Fred slightly turned to Tadashi in order for his approval of using the word. Tadashi nodded. So he continued ,,his ass spanked. Repeatedly. He tried to run away, but the machine just followed him hahaha..that was a sight which I will never forget'' He stated, laughing.

 

,,He ran through the whole university in order to escape the machine, but it just kept following him. And I don't know what was redder. His face or his ass.'' Gogo clinked in, popping her gum at the end of her sentence, with a smirk was on her face. ,,It looked pretty funny, but...I somehow have pity with him'' Honey Lemon expressed. Gogo just glanced at her neutrally. ,,Honey, you have laughed the loudest.'' She expressed. Honey Lemon turned rapidly red from embarrassment. 

 

,,Hey, don't go too harsh on her'' Wasabi stated. ,,How could you not have laughed? He was like no...no..please..stop and the machine was like: yes...yes...give me your butt'' He said, turning red himself as he realized how his sentence must have sounded. It was too late. The nerd gang was already laughing. ,,I bet Rick can find a lot of sponsors who are into this sort of thing'' Hiro mentioned, still laughing. ,, And who? Professor Callaghan?'' Gogo asked dryly. The whole table laughed.

 

,,But how did the machine stop moving?'' Hiro asked his friends out of curiosity, something flickered beside him, but he ignored it. Fred, ready to answer the question, bent forward in a conspiratorially manner ,,Legend says that... it didn't and he is still running around the university, getting his ass clapped'' He expressed dramatically. Wiggling his brows. The following silence lasted only a few seconds. 

 

Then they started to laugh again. ,,Poor guy...hahaha...did also something else happen?'' Hiro asked smiling, enjoying the warmth, radiating from Tadashi's shoulder against his. The younger Hamada had the desire to lean his heavy head on the shoulder blade of his older brother, because his head was aching. He tried to behave as normally as possible, yet his mind was torn between the conversation and the corpses which were lying on the ground, staring up to him with their hollow eyes. Steven was one of them.

 

,,Something else? Hmmm...well...let me think about it'' Wasabi expressed, putting his hand under his chin in a thoughtful manner. ,,You both have a lot of working for the university to do, but knowing both of you, it will only be a matter of time, before you catch up with the schedule...and well I don't know if you knew, but there had been an incident at the back of our university two weeks ago....but I don't know if you already heard about it.'' He stated.

 

,,Two of our students have been beating to a pulp at the back of the SFIT.'' He started. Tadashi tried not to flinch, but his eyes were wide open in shock. Wasabi caught his reaction, but interpreted it wrongly. ,,Don't worry Tadashi'' He expressed. ,,Yeah, Tadashi, you worry too much said students were just John and Chris, two nasty individuals, who bully other students all the time'' Gogo added. ,,Yeah and that's why I'm not even sad about it'' Fred expressed. ,,Fred! How can you?! I know that they did some horrible things, but you didn't saw their bodies!'' Honey Lemon expressed, gesturing wildly with her hands, in order to prove her point.

 

Something about her motions must have painted a vivid imagine in the heads of the nerd gang, because some of them shuddered, as if remembering something gruesome. ,,Yeah...'' Wasabi agreed. ,,These were some real disturbing images...I can't believe how messed up in the head one person can be in order to do such a horrendous thing'' He declared. ,,Honey Lemon and I saw how the paramedics arrived and put their bodies in the ambulance.''

 

,,Really guys- I know they have been doing some nasty things, but what had been done to them... was just purely evil...and ..their blood..it was everywhere...if it hadn't been testified that it wasn't caused by an animal attack, I would have believed that it was an animal attack. I mean- How could a person do this?!'' Wasabi expressed, eyes wide open, remembering the cause of his shock. As their conversation went on, the older Hamada remained still, expressionless. Yet Hiro noticed the trembling hands beneath the table and the way Tadashi clenched his fists together. 

 

Hiro instinctively remembered the day on which he had an argument with Tadashi. If he recalled correctly, Chris and John were the one's who made fun of him on the day, he ran out of the university. They called him names like usual and they were clearly enjoying seeing him suffer, since that time he had been so vulnerable that he couldn't think of a witty comeback. On this day, he wanted to know why his older brother was hurt.

 

The sixteen year old knew now that Tadashi had been fighting a monster inside of him the whole time, since the Royal Masquerade. Hiro remembered, how his older brother fought, when he had been held down by the Yakuza. The wild animalistic and yet calculated fighting style. The ruthlessness. The brutality. Everything driving by the altruistic urge to protect. To save.

 

And Hiro also thought of the blood on the bandaged knuckles of his older brother, back then, when he found him at the grave of their parents in the rain after their argument. Realization slowly dawned to the younger Hamada. Hiro's eyes spread wide open. Could it be Tadashi? Hiro turned slightly to his older brother, ignoring the ramblings and theories of their friends about who the culprit could be.

 

Logically, Hiro should have been disturbed. However, he found himself feeling slightly troubled with the thought that somebody could find out that the culprit was Tadashi. Certainly, the police would want to take DNA samples at some point of their investigation. And certainly, they would still ask around if somebody noticed something suspicious. Hiro's mind was already creating possibilities, how he could protect Tadashi's identity.

 

And at the same, he felt a warm fluttering feeling, flourishing in his chest, thinking about how Tadashi defended him, despite the cruel words, which he had said to him that day. The forbidden love, which Hiro was already feeling for his brother, was getting even stronger. However, he knew, this wasn't a normal reaction. Hiro shouldn't feel attracted to the fact that Tadashi had almost beaten people to death, because of him. But the younger Hamada a couldn't help himself. He already knew: He was.

 

,,And the police is still questioning them, yet both are too scared of a second attack from the culprit. Therefore, they still won't give the police any part of helpful information.'' Wasabi continued. ,,I heard, they even wanted to move to another city'' Honey Lemon added. ,,Oh man...do you think this is somehow connected to this one beastly Yakuza kill?'' Fred suddenly asked out of the blue. 

 

Tadashi tensed almost invisibly, as their friends began to discuss whether the cases were connected or not. The younger Hamada could only guess what was going on inside his brother's head. As a result, he simply leaned closer and grabbed softly one of Tadashi's trembling hands under the table. Their friends still kept on chattering. Tadashi's eyes spread wide, taken aback, he looked at his younger brother with uncertainty in his eyes. 

 

However, Hiro simply smiled up to him. ,,I know'' He mouthed wordlessly, while their friends were busy discussing the incidents. His eyes were shining with such love and adoration that Tadashi almost drowned in them. The urge to kiss his younger brother, was almost overwhelming and pushed the air out of Tadashi's lungs, yet he only drew small circles on the back of Hiro's hand. Everything around him forgotten. The angsty customers. The strange look of his friends, when they thought he didn't notice. The pity. The guilt. Everything. 

 

Meanwhile, the younger Hamada felt how Tadashi's distress had ceased down. Now he just had to change the topic of the conversation of their friends. It was almost surreal how they were all caught up in the cases, but maybe they just wanted to satisfy their curiosity. Hiro was downright happy as he saw a familiar figure appearing behind the kitchen counter fifteen tables away. 

 

,,Ah look!'' Hiro suddenly shouted happily. His friends stopped talking about the incident and turned their attention to him. Thank god. ,,Our food and drinks!'' He called out, pointing at Akira who managed to slip past the kitchen counter with a prideful amount of table ware on his hands. Some of them, he managed to balance on his arms, others he kept pressed against his chest and spread on his hands. It was good that their aunt was busy in the kitchen. She would have a heart-attack, if she saw him like this.

 

It was fascinating how he kept dodging chairs, tables and customers, tiptoeing around the hindrances as if he had been doing this his whole life. He somehow managed to hold this big amount of table ware without tripping or stumbling to the floor. Their friends started to shout encouragingly in his direction. ,,You can make it!'' ,,Woman up!'' ,,Use the right system!'' ''Be a dinosaur!'' ,,What?'' Fred asked, as Gogo questioningly looked at his direction. ,,Be a dinosaur? Fred, really?'' Hiro was happy that Akira appeared right on time. The incidents were forgotten.

 

,,Thanks!'' He called out, as Akira finally managed to reach their table. The red haired punk beamed at him, before he slowly put the table ware down, without dropping anything or spilling the drinks on the floor. Tadashi was secretly disappointed at that. As Akira finished his task, he looked at them with expectation shining in his eyes. ,,And who is awesome?'' He grinned. ,,I am!'' He stated grinning, answering his own question with a smirk, before he rubbed his sore arms. 

 

,,I didn't even know that you could move so gracefully'' Hiro expressed aloud. ,,Well..I have many hidden talents, which you are unaware of'' Akira replied tauntingly. Flirtatious. To Tadashi's ears it sounded definitely flirtatious. With an iron gaze of steel he stared daggers at Akira. But he didn't growl this time. The older Hamada had the feeling that he already caused too much tumult today. Therefore he held back. He saw in the gestures and the stares of his friends that he was definitely not behaving how he normally should. But how could he after everything which he went through? 

 

Every-time, when Akira came into his line of sight, Tadashi had the almost unstoppable urge to throw something at him or to hurt him in other ways. He couldn't describe why, but he felt it. He felt some kind of danger looming behind the friendly mask of the red haired guy. He felt it. He was a threat. A disease, which must be eliminated, before it would get infectious. Tadashi knew his hate was probably caused by the way Akira kept staring at his younger brother. How seemed to devour him with his hungry gazes. And Tadashi knew the only thing which kept him from gauging Akira's flirtatious eyes out with a fork, was Hiro's soothing presence. 

 

Therefore, he tried to play along. ,,If you have so many talents, maybe you can put them into use. I still need a test person for the new robot I'm currently working on'' Tadashi expressed, trying hard to keep a friendly tone. Luckily, his friends seemed to buy it. The red haired punk although seemed to sense it, yet he played along. ,,Oh really? Does this robot deliver table ware?'' He asked cockily. Tadashi kept his smile glued to his face. It was hard to think that there had been a time where it came to him naturally.

 

,,No..it doesn't. I want to built a robot who is able to fly with an injured person. You know, it would be very practical if people could be transported faster during... emergencies'' He stated mildly, enjoying the slight flinch which Akira made. ,,Don't you need an injured person to test it out?'' Akira stated hesitantly. ,,Well, don't worry, I can arrange it.'' The whole table grew silent. ,,What?'' Tadashi asked innocently into the silence, his eyes were glinting. ,,Of course, I'm talking about the fact that a not injured normal person could fly in it'' He explained. 

 

,,If I tried it out myself, I would be puking over half San Fransokyo and really that's something you don't want.'' He declared, his expression matching his words. ,,Ewww...'' Honey Lemon was the first one to react. ,,Tadashi really?'' Wasabi stated, sounding disturbed, his mind already creating pictures of a puking Tadashi. ,,What?'' The older Hamada stated innocently as possible. Hiro chuckled, holding his cup of chocolate in one hand. ,,Couldn't you use another word to describe it?'' Gogo intervened, popping her gum.

 

,,Well you know, how easy I get dizzy...'' The older Hamada declared, putting his hands in front of him in defense, sadly also letting go of Hiro's hand under the table in the process, yet he knew it was necessary. ,, Yeah..we know it...especially when you're drunk'' Fred started. ,,You know back then at the Yellow Panda?'' He said with a smirk on his lips and then his smirk grew wider and he pointed at the younger Hamada. ,,Man... that was so hilarious...you called Hiro your big hairy baby!'' The comic nerd expressed with a shit-eating grin.

 

The whole table laughed. The tips of Tadashi's ears turned red from embarrassment. It was Hiro who saved him, although he was also red around the cheeks, remembering the hugs of his drunken older brother. ,,Yeah...I remember the time at the Yellow Panda... and I think Akira would be trilled to bits to hear what you guys have been up to when you were in your drunk state'' Hiro stated snickering. His eyes holding a silent warning.

 

Wasabi looked uncomfortable in another direction, averting Hiro's gaze. Honey Lemon and Gogo on the other hand slightly flinched and Fred just being Fred rose pridefully from the table. ,,There is nothing wrong with recyclable underwear!'' He announced loudly. Some customers turned their heads at him. ,,It is my duty to conquer the world and to teach its citizens this utmost important topic...besides come on Hiro, I want to hear this again. Please tell Akira about this funny little incident with Wasabi and this cute indoor plant.'' Snickering he looked at the direction of his friend.

 

,,No, please don't..'' Wasabi pleaded weakly. Hiro sighed heavily. ,,I won't, but let's just try to eat something and concentrate on a topic which is neither embarrassing nor disturbing to the ears. And no Fred-'' The younger Hamada stated as the ginger head opened his mouth. ,,Talking about recyclable underwear is both disturbing and embarrassing.'' He said. Fred slumped his shoulders, while Hiro leaned back, happy to have some piece of mind. Their friends congratulated him on his comeback and talked about classes. 

 

His head was aching in pain. The flickering didn't lessen. Steven was looking at him. The younger Hamada felt how Tadashi nudged his shoulder softly. Smiling, Hiro leaned slightly against it, enjoying their short silent moment. No one paid attention to it, except a certain red haired punk. Suddenly, aunt Cass appeared behind the kitchen counter. ,,Akira, I need you on table five!'' She called out. 

 

,,Well, that's my cue to leave. Even if I wanted to enjoy your company a little longer.'' He declared, his eyes only resting on Hiro. Tadashi kept his facade from falling apart, even though his fist was itching to beat him up. Then, the eighteen year old turned away and went to the direction of the kitchen counter, once again managing to dodge chairs and tables as if he had been doing this his whole life.

 

,,He is such a sweet guy'' Honey Lemon mentioned, her eyes following Akira. Fred nodded. ,,Yeah..he's awesome and he understands me and my nerdy dinosaur obsession.... that makes him worthy in my eyes.'' The ginger head stated, acknowledging looking at the direction of the red haired punk. ,,Yeah, he is really something and he knows cool stuff about motorcycles, which I can use for my studies.'' Gogo admitted while brushing her shoulders. *Great* Tadashi thought. *It's like their advertising him. They took him in so easily...now he will have more chances to come near to Hiro* Tadashi slightly gritted his teeth, the long felt pain of his burns mingling with his hate.

 

,,Ehhmm..Tadashi? Are you alright?'' Honey Lemon looked slightly scared in his direction. The older Hamada covered his face. He didn't even realize that his facade was dropping. The pain which was burning though his skin and had burnt though it since he had appeared on the door step of the Lucky Cat was now, almost unbearable and he had problems to open his mouth, without throwing the ugliest insults at his blonde haired friend.

 

Luckily, Hiro diverted her attention from him as he placed the palm of his hand deliberately on the table. His eyes meeting Honey Lemons. A serious look was stark visible in them. ,,The half of his body is covered in severe burns and blisters, even old one's which tore up again this very morning. He felt immensely pain through our whole conversation and feels it even now, the very moment we speak...so yeah...of course he is ''alright'' The younger Hamada stated dryly.

 

Ignoring the hurtful look in Honey Lemon's eyes, he leaned closer to his older brother and placed his hand on his face. ,,Tadashi..look at me..yeah like that.... it's alright..come on..we get you upstairs..and then you get to rest..'' He mentioned tenderly, while carefully, helping him to stand up. ,,Well...guys I think.. maybe it was a little too soon for our meeting. Thanks again for the surprise visit, but Tadashi and I will have to go now, he needs some rest.'' The younger Hamada explained, while he nodded goodbye and headed with Tadashi upstairs, not bothering to look back at their friends.

 

As they both disappeared through the open door, the group was able to speak again. ,,Maybe it was too soon?'' Wasabi asked, still shocked. ,,I mean..man have you looked at Tadashi? He's still not properly recovered and his face- No I don't mean to burns..but his expression..he looked like he was..he was-'' Wasabi was unable to put it into words. ,,-Ready to kill?'' Gogo finished his sentence. ,,Yes'' The tall man with dreadlocks whispered hesitantly. ,,well... it's probably like Hiro said just now. It's the pain. And whose character didn't change after a traumatic expression?'' The blonde haired female intervened, searching for reasons for their attitude.

 

,,Yeah...you're probably right'' Fred agreed, nodding. ,,We'll just have to wait..soon we'll have our kind and friendly as well as slightly naive soul back.'' He expressed joyfully. ,,He just needs more time and then we'll go back together as the ultimate group of the Frederics'' He announced, looking at his friends with expectation in his eyes. ,,The Frederics?'' Disbelieved Honey Lemon looked at his direction. ,,Really?'' Gogo furrowed her brow. ,,Well..the only thing I haven't named yet is our group'' He said shrugging his shoulders.

 

As they kept on chatting, Akira was just finished with serving the customers, he looked at Hiro and he saw how he disappeared with Tadashi close next to him. How always. Always close. Out of reach. With a heavy sigh on his lips, he watched him go, his eyes slightly narrowing at the older Hamada. ,,Don't worry, soon he'll notice how much you like him.'' A warm voice said behind him. It belonged to his new boss aunt Cass, who was standing just five feet away.

 

Akira flinched. ,,Wha--what? I absolutely don't know what you're talking about lady!'' He expressed stuttering. His voice and his flushed face were already betraying him. His hands were moving in a defensive manner. ,,Are you sure?'' She raised on eyebrow and pointedly looked at the door, where the younger Hamada had just disappeared with his older brother. It was pointless. She saw right through him. Luckily not everything, therefore he decided to use this information to his own benefit.

 

,,Yes...I like him'' He admitted, eyes glued to the floor. He knew, he could win her over. Aunt Cass looked at him with crossed arms and a knowing smile on her lips. She probably knew who exactly he meant by ''he''. ,,I knew nobody would want to volunteer so frequently to help out with the shop, if it wasn't for a special purpose and besides... your eyes have that special glint when you're talking about him.'' She said joyfully. ,,But don't you find it strange?'' He stated hesitantly. ,,I mean..we're both guys...and...'' Akira looked down again, biting down his bottom lip in distress.

 

,,No!'' She said quickly like a canon-ball. ,,I don't find it strange at all!'' She expressed, cheerfully. ,,I'm happy, if just one of my boys goes into a relationship, really, when they have their robots they tend to forget everything around them!'' She explained. ,,I mean....I think for Tadashi it is too complicated, especially now- and he also didn't show any interest in possible partners, even though, he had many female admirers. His main goal was always divided in two parts: taking care of Hiro and working on his inventions.'' The brunette woman declared.

 

,,I've already tried to introduce him to new people but he shrugged them off quickly in his own gentle kind of manner.'' She said, then her eyes focused on another point of the room.,,I have the slightly fear that they won't find a partner this way..I mean if they stay like this in their room... and I would feel at ease, knowing that they have someone, they can rely on in their future, someone who will be there for them... because I don't want them to end up like me.'' Aunt Cass explained.

 

,,End up like you? Staying beautiful throughout the years, having an own shop and starting everyday by making what they love? Wouldn't that be great?'' Akira expressed, knowing well enough that he already got her on his side. Aunt Cass made a dropping hand motion. ,,Aww..you'' She said defensively, but he knew that she was pleased with the given answer. ,,But you know what I mean....I want them to have someone on which they can rely on'' She stated. Little did she know that they already had that one person.

 

Akira nodded, as aunt Cass went on chattering about strategies with which, he would be able to win Hiro's heart over. He listened carefully. It was pretty interesting that no one from Hiro's and Tadashi's surroundings seem to have a clue, how possessively the older Hamada acted around his little brother and how much he clearly wanted him to belong to him. The red haired knew, it must be more than brotherly love, he met brothers and they usually weren't this close together like these two were. 

 

,,And he usually likes Gummy Bears. Even if he declares that he is a big boy now, he simply can't say no, if someone offers him a pack.'' The brunette woman stated smiling. ,,But what if...'' He interrupted her. ,,You know...Hiro just seems so close to his older brother and...now after the incident..he probably won't leave his side for a very long time...maybe...I should just wait till Tadashi recovers fully and then try to win Hiro's attention.'' The red haired stated, hesitantly, knowing well that his words will show their useful effect.

 

,,Aww....you're such a good guy, Akira'' She expressed. The red haired smiled. ,,I know'' He answered. Then he looked to the side. ,,It's a shame that this doesn't seem enough...'' He expressed. ,,Huh?'' Suddenly Fred bumped his shoulder. Akira did not see that coming. ,,Of course it's enough, the only thing which you need, is patience and strategy!'' The ginger head expressed. ,,What do you know about strategy?'' Gogo asked popping her gum, appearing right beside the ginger head. ,,Well I know that the sentence 'You know what else is mouth-watering', which our Akira used here earlier, isn't exactly something which one would call smooth as fuck.'' Akira was still standing there like frozen. ,,Fred...Gogo?'' He stated disbelieving.

 

,,Yeah..'' The comic nerd replied with a grin. Gogo only nodded. ,,How long...have you been standing there?'' Akira asked, his voice quivering. ,,hmmm...I think long enough to catch the part about you taking a liking to our little genius.'' Fred smiled at him. ,,But don't you worry, your secret is save with us'' He declared pointing with his finger at the direction of Honey Lemon and Wasabi, who waved awkwardly in his direction, holding a cellphone in each hand. Akira put one and one together and decided that Fred must have mailed them the ''news''.

 

,,Oh god...'' He expressed, hiding his face behind his hands, turning red. ,,How embarrassing...'' The punk mumbled. ,,I didn't want you to know so..quickly..I ..I hope you don't think that I'm too weird....'' He stated slowly, still in shock. ,,Embarrassing? Weird? Could it be that you haven't seen me in full action?'' Fred answered with a smile. ,,Besides if it weren't for the fact that we know Hiro since he was fourteen, we would be all over our cutie pie! But that would be awkward as hell, since he is still like a little brother to any of us'' He stated joyfully.

 

Akira revealed his face from behind his hands. His eyes were wide open and gratitude was shining in them like laser beams. He couldn't believe it. Now he even had the back of his friends! ,,Guys...I don't know if it's too much to ask for...but could you help me to ..ask Hiro on a date? Of...of course not now! Right now, I think Tadashi should recover more properly and well...'' He expressed, before he looked at his feet. Managing to look both shy and embarrassed. 

 

,,Well..'' Fred suddenly said ,,I first have to decide which strategy we're taking but don't worry'' He rested a hand on the eighteen year old's shoulder. ,,I think everyone will be all for it and aunt Cass here is even more fired up.'' ,,Yeah it will be so exciting!'' She shouted happily. A few customers turned their head into their direction. ,,I'm sorry, continue your treat!'' She stated energetically, before nodding reassuringly to Gogo, Fred and Akira and disappeared whistling behind the kitchen counter.

 

,,Akira table seven doesn't serve itself!'' The brunette called out from behind the kitchen counter, the red haired nodded. ,,Thanks again guys..I don't know..how..well it's cool to know that you've got my back'' He admitted, before he went straightforward in order to fetch the orders from table seven. Meanwhile Fred and Gogo made their way to their friends table. As Fred sat down, he looked at them, before waggling his eyebrows. ,,It's finally happening!'' He stated excitedly.,, Well guys, we have a lot to discuss right now!'' He announced..

 

~~~~~~~~

 

Meanwhile, the Hamada brothers were resting upstairs. Sitting close next to each other on the couch. Hiro rested his tired head against the comfortable shoulder of his older brother, the flickering had finally ceased, yet he was still trembling due the after-effects. His bandage arm was resting on Tadashi's stomach, while his older brother rested his cheek against Hiro's fluffy hair, one arm wrapped protectively around his shoulder and the other one resting gently on his bandaged arm. Their eyes were glued to the TV screen. Mochi was lying purring, right next to them.

 

Tadashi felt better now that his medicine managed to take an effect. And he felt even better, knowing that he was away from the strange, scared gazes and the expectations, which his friends were practically throwing at him downstairs. He finally felt at ease, now that Hiro was here with him and just him. He could give in to his wishful thinking that they could remain like this forever, only the two of them and no one else. 

 

After a while, Hiro's trembling lessened and he cuddled himself closer to his older brother. His soothing warmth helped him to calm down. His eyes were following the movements on the screen in front of him. ,,They think I'm strange..'' The older Hamada suddenly mumbled, admitting the thought which had been pestering him for a long time. ,,Give them time'' Hiro replied softly, before rubbing his head tenderly against Tadashi's cheek. 

 

They were watching Batman-A dark knight rises. ,,You know...I'm kinda like the guy who get's his face melted on the one half of his face....'' Tadashi stated, his voice scratchy, his eyes trailing over the moving pictures in front of him. Downstairs he could hear the laughter of their friends. But it didn't matter to him. Not anymore and at some point, he even questioned himself, if they ever did. Shaking his head, he tried to push these thoughts away.

 

,,I think you're more like Batman'' Hiro admitted to him whispering with a warm smile on his face as he leaned closer to his older brother. Enjoying the calming warmth of Tadashi's skin. Tadashi smiled at the given answer. ,,A dark broody mysterious guy who punishes the bad guys in his own selfish way, huh? I think it fits perfectly...'' He stated. ,,But maybe I went overboard...'', his eyes trailed around the room, suddenly meeting Hiro's own. Hiro knew he thought about the students, as well as the Yakuza and everything else they have done.

 

,,Yeah maybe....or not..truthfully..I think they got what they deserved...except from Steven...'' The younger Hamada stated, his eyes following Tadashi's cinnamon one's. ,,I still see him sometimes'' He admitted, his bottom lip trembling, his chocolate brown eyes, sad. Tadashi looked at him, before he wordlessly pulled him closer. ,,We owe him a lot'' The older Hamada declared. ,,Maybe..we should built him a memorial stone?'' He suggested. ,,It's sad to think that he will vanish from existence without anyone noticing''

 

Hiro's eyes glowed like the rising sun at his suggestion. ,,That's perfect! You and me, we can built him a whole temple!'' He expressed happily, but then his eyes wandered to a corner, indicating that he was thinking about something. ,,But we'll have to do it somehow without being noticed...'' He declared. ,,Hmm..hmm..we wait until the time is right'' The older Hamada expressed. Smiling, Hiro was leaning closer to his older brother, enjoying the reassuring warmth radiating from his body, pleased with the thought that Steven would not be forgotten.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

**Author's Note:**

> ^^~


End file.
